The idea is convincing: Offer strangers the chance to stay on your couch and in return it allows you to crash for free on couches anywhere in world. The system is called “couchsurfing” and it currently counts almost 6 million members worldwide. For his photography project Malte Jäger accompanied different couchsurfers on their journeys through the living rooms of strangers in five very different regions of the world (Africa, Central Asia, Brazil, India and the USA).
People who are only looking for a free place to stay are on the wrong track among couchsurfers, the idea of couchsurfing is a cultural exchange and an opportunity to get to know new cultures and people. The sightseeing that is typical of mass tourism is revolutionised here and instead becomes “life-seeing”.
The most important thing , is to have lots of fun whilst “surfing”. This is visualized in Malte Jägers images shown in the exhibition “couchsurfin’ the world” at Internationale Gartenschau 2013 in Hamburg.
Exhibition
Malte Jäger: Couchsurfin
From the April 26th to May 26th, 2013
IGS Hamburg (internationale gartenschau)
Am Inselpark 1
21109 Hamburg
Germany
Opening hours are daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
The book
Couchsurfin’ the world
Texts and images by Malte Jäger
Published by Edition Braus Berlin.
Contains 400 images on 208 pages for 24,95 Euros.
