Commissioned Community

For the 40th anniversary of the Peine women’s shelter, Lara developed a solo exhibition at Kreismuseum Peine around a difficult question: how do you create visibility for women who cannot safely be shown?

In photographic workshops, the residents developed images of things that gave them hope. These images became both portraits and protection, concealing identity without making the women themselves disappear. Alongside this collaborative work, Lara documented traces of the shelter, creating a portrait of a place and its inhabitants without exposing them.

Ringing Locals brings the people of Peine into the museum through their own voices. Visitors ring a real doorbell to activate short video portraits in which local residents speak about their lives, memories and the things that make the city theirs.

The installation turns the simple act of ringing someone’s bell into an invitation to listen, creating a portrait of Peine through the people who live there.