A Day In Berlin / 兼兼 Jian Jian 07

Jian Jian is an independent photography magazine dedicated to black and white photography, built around the idea of 兼. This Chinese character represents duality, not as multitasking, but as a seamless blending of vision and thought.

Jian Jian — Issue 07: A Day in Berlin

A Day in Berlin unfolds across a single summer day, where the ordinary rhythm of the city is briefly interrupted by something unexpected. Set in the streets of Berlin, this volume observes the subtle shifts in atmosphere that occur when sound, movement, and attention collide.

On a clear Saturday at the start of summer, amidst crowds, markets, and passing bodies, the sudden presence of alphorns transforms the street. Their deep and resonant sound interrupts the flow of the city, creating a moment of stillness where people pause, listen, and gather. For a brief time, the everyday dissolves into something shared and almost intangible.

Yet the city quickly reasserts itself. The spell is broken, the moment passes, and life resumes its pace. What remains is a trace, a fleeting encounter between strangers, sound, and space, held only in memory.

Curated by @holgerbiermannphoto and @christianreister

This project was generously supported by @safelightberlin

Holger Biermann and Christian Reister are photographers whose collaborative work explores the relationship between urban space, human presence, and fleeting moments of collective experience. Their practice focuses on observation and timing, capturing subtle disruptions within everyday life and revealing how quickly the atmosphere can shift within the city.

We will present A Day in Berlin at the Photobook Café in Shoreditch as part of the Monday Photobook Talk Series: Between Vision and Thought on Monday, March 21, 2026, at 6.30 PM. RSVP at photobookuk.org