In 'Distant Islands,' young photographers explore Brexit

Snapshot of a small British city: Wigan, west of Manchester. In the Brexit referendum, nearly 64 percent of its residents voted in favor of leaving the EU. Sebastian Wells took his camera there. His work and that of the other graduates of Berlin's Ostkreuz School of Photography comprise an exhibition that affords a view of Great Britain before the looming Brexit.

Great Britain has always claimed a special role for itself in the EU. Be it out of nostalgia for the lost empire or in the form of in a crude hooligan tattoo, the desire for self-expression is strong, as this photo by Uli Kaufmann shows. Many of his photo series deal with British identity.

These photos by Linus Muellerschoen sketch a grim image of the island country's future. "Brexit stands for bringing new things to a halt," says the 30-year-old photographer. "My pictures pursue the thought: What happens when we turn our backs on color and openness?"

This is the first time that a member state has left the European Union, and it's not clear what this step will or would mean for the land and its people. Bastian Thiery has devoted attention to the situation of young people in Great Britain. "I looked for symbols of something that wants to grow but is not permitted to," says the 29-year-old photographer.

The situation of Great Britain's youth is also an issue pursued by Anna Szkoda. Brexit was decided over their heads: no one under 18 at the time of the referendum was allowed to vote. Yet they have to live with the results. "In my work, I give a face to those who were invisible during the vote," says Szkoda.

Great Britain has also benefited from EU subsidies, as photos by Lars Bösch reveal. He took pictures of structures supported or co-financed by Europe, such as the Royal Eye Hospital in Manchester, shown here.

The National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester probably wouldn't exist without assistance from Europe: 23 million pounds ($30.1 million) flowed into the edifice out of European structural funding.

Miguel Brusch portrayed the British coastal city of Blackpool. Once a cosmopolitan vacation resort, its image is now marked by mass unemployment. "A collection ranging from the carefree life to illusion, to decay" is how the photographer titles his picture series, a description that could apply to British society as a whole.

British institutes of higher learning are also concerned about the effects of Brexit. Exchange and research agreements with EU countries could become more complex. Some students approve of the exit from the EU however. The photographer Annemie Martin reflects the mood at colleges and universities in her work.