Lauren Greenfield’s Social Studies exhibition turns her FX documentary project about Los Angeles teenagers and their digital lives into a photographic experience. The current presentation listed by Fotografiska Berlin runs from September 26, 2026, through January 12, 2027, at its Berlin-Mitte venue. The photographs and the five-part series approach the same subject through different forms: a gallery presentation and an episodic documentary.
What is Lauren Greenfield’s Social Studies exhibition about?
Fotografiska Berlin frames the project with the question, “What does it mean to grow up in the digital age?” Greenfield followed Los Angeles teenagers as they navigated school, family life, friendships, and relationships shaped by social media. The museum says participants shared feeds, texts, posts, images, and messages they had not shown their parents.
Fahey/Klein Gallery describes the underlying work as filmed during the 2021–2022 school year. Its account emphasizes the contrast between online performance and private identity, and between aspiration, anxiety, vulnerability, and self-curation. Those are the gallery’s descriptions of the project’s themes, not conclusions about teenagers as a whole.
The exhibition uses still photographs to revisit material also explored in Greenfield’s immersive documentary filmmaking. As Fahey/Klein puts it, “Lauren Greenfield’s photographic approach parallels her immersive filmmaking: both document a reality that is evolving in real-time.”
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How is the exhibition connected to the FX series?
The exhibition is a photographic extension of the five-part FX docuseries, but the formats offer distinct ways into the subject. In the gallery, visitors encounter photographs in an exhibition setting; the series develops its themes across five episodes. The museum and gallery describe the shared focus on teenagers’ lives and digital culture, rather than establishing a difference in impact or representativeness.
| Format | What it offers | Access details |
|---|---|---|
| Social Studies exhibition | A photographic presentation connected to Greenfield’s documentary project | Fotografiska Berlin lists it from September 26, 2026, through January 12, 2027, in Berlin |
| FX docuseries | Five episodes exploring different aspects of teenagers’ lives and social media | Apple TV lists the series; streaming availability depends on the viewer’s region |
What does the project’s scale tell viewers—and what does it not?
Project figures vary by institutional account and should be read with their source and scope in mind. Fotografiska Berlin’s 2026 youth-group information describes thirty teenagers, more than 150 days of filming, and over 2,000 hours of screen recordings. USC Annenberg’s 2024 account describes a series following 12 young people and filmed over one academic school year. These descriptions are not reconciled by the sources; they may refer to different project scopes or ways of counting.
These numbers describe the making of this documentary project. They are not statistics about teenagers generally, and the participant stories do not establish that social media caused particular outcomes across a population. The sources cited here provide no independently published representative statistic measuring social media’s effects on adolescents.
What are the five episodes about?
Apple TV identifies Social Studies as a 2024 FX documentary series directed by Lauren Greenfield. Its five episodes take up different themes:
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- Maps for grades 5 and up
- Covers topics such as the discovery of America, Spanish conquistadors, the New England colonies, wars and conflicts, westward expansion, slavery, and transportation
- Maps are designed to be easily reproduced, projected, or scanned
- Classroom activities and brief explanations of historical events are included
- Includes answer keys
- “Social 101” examines social media’s role in school and childhood.
- “Social Divisions” addresses race and class divisions.
- “Peer/Algorithm Pressure” explores pressure from peers and algorithms.
- “Sex Ed” considers sexual content and sex education.
- “Deletions and Culminations” looks at teens’ futures after graduation.
Apple TV lists the series as TV-MA and includes advisories for violence, language, and sexual content. Check the listing for current streaming availability in your region.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where and when can you see the exhibition in Berlin?
Fotografiska Berlin lists Social Studies at Oranienburger Str. 54, 10117 Berlin-Mitte, from September 26, 2026, through January 12, 2027. The museum says it offers free admission to school classes and social institutions working with youth; contact Fotografiska Berlin for eligibility and registration details.
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Sources and further reading
- Fotografiska Berlin: Lauren Greenfield’s Social Studies — exhibition framing, dates, location, and youth-group information.
- Fahey/Klein Gallery: Lauren Greenfield, Social Studies — project description, Los Angeles presentation, and Greenfield’s related books.
- Apple TV: Social Studies — series listing, episode synopses, rating, and content advisories.
- USC Annenberg: Lauren Greenfield explores the first generation to grow up with social media — 2024 account of the series and its participants.
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