Yana Wernicke
German photographer Yana Wernicke received a grant from CAF for “On Finding Solace,” a moving-image work focusing on rescued animals at sanctuaries in Germany. The work explores the idea of solace between humans and animals. Yana’s aim was to film the close physical interactions between the animals and their caretakers to convey their mutual comforting. She also planned to film various other sequences, such as of animals slowly falling asleep, when their sheltered existence allows them to experience the absence of fear. The grant allowed Yana to visit five animal sanctuaries across Germany.
These images have been consolidated into a work called Solace, and they will be shown in two exhibitions in 2026. The first, called The Shudder Palace, at Le Palais des Tressaillements in Geneva, Switzerland; the second at the Fotograf Zone Festival in Prague, Czech Republic, opening at the beginning of October.
Yana’s focus on human-animal relationships emerging in sanctuaries is shared by photographer Patrick López Jaimes and architect Rebecca Shen, who showcase the agency of rescued animals in these privileged spaces.
Photo of Yana Wernicke: Jonas Feige.
