Frankfurt’s industrial outskirts are undergoing a quiet transformation. Beyond the warehouses and workshops, a series of unassuming buildings are becoming temporary places of worship for a diverse array of faith communities. Photographer Josefine Rauch’s exhibition, “Temple Road,” opening Friday at ON FILM LAB, captures this hidden spiritual landscape, offering a glimpse into a world often overlooked by mainstream society.
Rauch stumbled upon this phenomenon while working in the Fechenheim industrial area. “I began to notice that the area changed dramatically on weekends,” she explained. “People, dressed in their finest clothes, would disappear behind the doors of these unremarkable halls, and the whole area felt different, charged with a new energy.” Her curiosity piqued, Rauch began documenting the weekly shift, drawn to the contrast between the functional, almost austere, industrial spaces and the vibrant communal life unfolding within them. The resulting series, shot exclusively on analog film, reveals a space where communities—often priced out of traditional religious buildings—identify anonymity and freedom to practice their faith.
A Sanctuary on the Periphery
“Temple Road” isn’t simply a photographic record. it’s an exploration of belonging, visibility, and the impact of urban change. Rauch’s work highlights a migrant-influenced religious practice finding its place in the urban periphery, often improvised and largely unseen. The exhibition, according to information from ON FILM LAB, provides insight into a frequently overlooked coexistence, raising questions about visibility and the pressures of gentrification that push smaller communities to the edges of the city.
The choice of analog film was deliberate. Rauch’s approach, described as sensitive and restrained, lends a unique texture to the images. ON FILM LAB, which specializes in analog photography, notes on its website that they’ve “lost their heart to the organic and natural appear that analog photography brings,” and that it “opens up an extraordinary world of colors and gradients.” The lab itself offers workshops for those interested in learning analog development.
The Rise of Analog in a Digital Age
ON FILM LAB’s commitment to analog photography reflects a broader resurgence of interest in the medium. The lab has established itself as a central hub for artistic presentation and networking in the Rhine-Main region and beyond, inspired in part by its ongoing interview series, “Why on Film?” which explores the working methods of contemporary photographers. The “Temple Road” exhibition marks the start of a new exhibition series intended to expand this approach, creating a space for analog practice, exchange, and visibility.
Josefine Rauch: A Photographer’s Journey
Josefine Rauch, based in Offenbach am Main, brings a diverse academic background to her work. She holds an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in Aesthetics from Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and California State University in Los Angeles, and further developed her photographic practice at the Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie in Berlin. Her work demonstrates a keen eye for detail and a sensitivity to the nuances of human experience.
Exhibition Information
The vernissage (opening reception) for “Temple Road” will be held on February 26th at 7:00 PM. The exhibition will be on view at ON FILM LAB, Raum für analoge Fotografie, Sandweg 131A, 60316 Frankfurt, from February 27th to April 24th, 2026, Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Admission is free.
The finissage (closing reception) is scheduled for April 24th at 7:00 PM. The exhibition offers a compelling look at a hidden facet of Frankfurt’s cultural landscape, inviting viewers to consider the ways in which faith communities adapt and thrive in unexpected spaces. The exhibition’s exploration of visibility and belonging resonates particularly strongly in a time of increasing social and political division.
The next scheduled event related to this exhibition is the finissage on April 24th, offering a final opportunity to experience Rauch’s work and engage with the themes it explores.
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