Vom plötzlichen Erwachsenwerden

In her photographic work, Tamara Eckhardt turns her lens toward social margins and minorities, drawn in particular to people standing at the threshold of adulthood. She has long been fascinated by how someone still coming into their own manages to raise a small child, often under circumstances that are anything but easy.

For her series “Vom plötzlichen Erwachsenwerden” (“Of Suddenly Growing Up”), Eckhardt spent time with young mothers between the ages of 16 and 21 in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, a peripheral district on Berlin's eastern edge, photographing them in their own homes. The resulting images (intimate portraits, quiet moments of pause, and still lifes found within their domestic surroundings) offer a nuanced view of what it means to become a mother and an adult at once, and of the tender bond that forms between mother and child despite the weight of the circumstances surrounding it. Letters written by the young mothers themselves complete the series, giving voice to their own hopes and expectations for the future in a way that photography alone cannot.

A graduate of the Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie who joined the OSTKREUZ agency in 2022, Eckhardt approaches her subjects with the patience of long-term documentary work, returning to the same people and places over months to build trust before picking up her camera. “Vom plötzlichen Erwachsenwerden” was recognized with the Deutscher Jugendfotopreis and shortlisted for the Vonovia Award für Fotografie, and was exhibited as "Of Suddenly Growing Up" at FOTORAUM KÖLN during the 2023 Internationale Photoszene Köln festival. (Caroline von Courten)

In my work, I often focus on minorities and socially excluded groups, with a particular interest in childhood and the process of growing up. This series was the starting point for a series of works that followed, in which I continued to explore these themes from different perspectives.

“Vom plötzlichen Erwachsenwerden” (Of Suddenly Growing Up), is a project resulting from a photographing young mothers between the ages of 16 and 21 in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, a socially disadvantaged district of Berlin, often referred to as a “problematic district” in the media and known for its high levels of poverty and crime, as well as its uniformly built high-rise housing blocks. What I want to achieve and offer to people is an insight beyond social prejudices and shed light on the challenges of motherhood and growing up, as well as the loving relationship between mother and child.

I spent several months getting to know the young mothers and building a relationship of trust with them. Over time, I slowly began to photograph them, capturing moments of calm and the still lives found within their individual apartments. The work is accompanied by handwritten letters by the young mothers, giving them the opportunity to contribute their own words. The letters were later published in a handmade book as part of an exhibition. The authors remained anonymous, so it is not revealed which mother wrote which letter.

Fondament has selected photographer Tamara Eckhardt for the Instagram feature Bildgespräche (Image Conversations) within the collaborative project and open call "Ich seh' etwas, was du nicht siehst." We've asked Tamara specifically to lift the veil and reveal the backstory behind this image.

What do most people notice at first glance when they look at this image?

Probably the first thing people notice is the sadness in the young woman’s expression, followed by the high-rise buildings in the background, which give an idea of the environment she is growing up in.

What is something that people often overlook?

I think people often don’t notice the reflection of the child’s face at first, because the main focus is on the young mother.

Which detail is most important to you, and why?

When taking a picture, I don’t focus on one particular detail. It’s the atmosphere and the moment I share with the person that I try to capture. My approach is very intuitive. Later, after developing the image, I sometimes discover details that give the photograph another layer. In this image, for example, I noticed that the child and the mother are looking in opposite directions, which adds an interesting dynamic to the photograph.

What reality does this image bring to light?

It shows the struggles but also the strength of a young mother growing up under difficult circumstances. I think everyone sees an image differently and connects with different things in it. In the end, for me, a good image should make you feel something, regardless of how much you know about the background of the image or how familiar you are with art.

What do you hope people will take away after seeing this image?

I hope to create empathy for people who are often overlooked or face a lot of prejudice. The young mothers I documented were struggling with many burdens and difficult circumstances, but they also showed incredible strength for their children. There was a lot of love between them, and I hope the images can make that visible beyond the prejudices and assumptions people might have about young mothers.