‘We were broke, but fascinated by freedom’: exhibition showcases East German artist Gabriele Stötzer
Show at Martin Gropius Bau gallery in Berlin is biggest ever celebration of an East German female artist in a state museum
TL;DR
- Gabriele Stötzer, a defiant artist from East Germany, faced material scarcity and state restrictions, choosing art supplies over necessities.
- Her first major exhibition, 'Dabei Sein und nicht schweigen,' at Berlin's Martin Gropius Bau showcases 150 works, marking a significant recognition of an East German female artist.
- Stötzer's artistic expression flourished during her imprisonment in the 1970s, where she found inspiration in the dream of another life.
- She refused to be expatriated by West Germany, opting instead to use the GDR as an experimental space for artistic fellowship and feminist struggle.
- Under constant surveillance by the Stasi, she co-founded a women's artists' collective, using experiences of trauma and humiliation in her art.
- Her work, including carpets, drawings, photographs, and sculptures, captured expressions of individuality suppressed by the state.
- The exhibition is seen as vital recognition of East German art and culture as part of Germany's collective memory and present.