On the subreddit r/Germany,
a user once asked “I still don’t totally understand Rollladen.
In Germany and some other countries in Europe, Rollladen are standard and expected.
What is the advantage?”
The Rollladen (roller shutters), common in many German homes, help keep heat outside in summer and keep the warmth inside during winter. By creating an air pocket between the shutters and the window, they act as an effective layer of insulation. In addition, they offer increased security by providing protection against break-ins.
But there is more to them. When you lie awake at night, unable to sleep, and finally open your eyes, the only light that reaches you comes through the small perforations in the Rollladen. The world outside is silent; everyone else seems to be asleep. The thin stripes of light become tiny portals to the outside world, to the night sky, to the city beyond, to the land of sleep itself.
This poster series captures that moment between wakefulness and sleep. An offset-printed, vibrant color gradient embodies the slow transition of the sky at night and at dawn. Over it, the pattern of the Rollladen, silkscreen-printed in deep black, lets the colors gently leak through. If you stay awake long enough, you might witness the transformation. The dark blue of the night shifting into the first light of sunrise.
To visualize both the printing process and the layering of this work, while also showing the finished poster, you can “lower the roller shutters” using the cursor. Moving across the posters form top to bottom will close the shutters and bring them back up. This allows you to see the individual printing layers as well as the effect of the light shining through the shutters.
Each poster (594 × 841 mm, DIN A1) is unique. Every offset-printed gradient differs slightly, just as the night sky never looks the same twice.
The Rollladen (roller shutters), common in many German homes, help keep heat outside in summer and keep the warmth inside during winter. By creating an air pocket between the shutters and the window, they act as an effective layer of insulation. In addition, they offer increased security by providing protection against break-ins.
But there is more to them. When you lie awake at night, unable to sleep, and finally open your eyes, the only light that reaches you comes through the small perforations in the Rollladen. The world outside is silent; everyone else seems to be asleep. The thin stripes of light become tiny portals to the outside world, to the night sky, to the city beyond, to the land of sleep itself.
This poster series captures that moment between wakefulness and sleep. An offset-printed, vibrant color gradient embodies the slow transition of the sky at night and at dawn. Over it, the pattern of the Rollladen, silkscreen-printed in deep black, lets the colors gently leak through. If you stay awake long enough, you might witness the transformation. The dark blue of the night shifting into the first light of sunrise.
To visualize both the printing process and the layering of this work, while also showing the finished poster, you can “lower the roller shutters” using the cursor. Moving across the posters form top to bottom will close the shutters and bring them back up. This allows you to see the individual printing layers as well as the effect of the light shining through the shutters.
Each poster (594 × 841 mm, DIN A1) is unique. Every offset-printed gradient differs slightly, just as the night sky never looks the same twice.
