‘We were broke, but fascinated by freedom’: exhibition showcases East German artist Gabriele Stötzer
Summary
Gabriele Stötzer is an East German artist known for her creative work during the communist era in the former East Germany (GDR). Her first major exhibition is now on display in Berlin, showing 150 pieces and highlighting her art created despite tough conditions and political repression.Key Facts
- Gabriele Stötzer was a radical artist in communist East Germany who faced material shortages and political restrictions.
- She spent a year in prison for protesting against the exile of a dissident singer and began developing her art during that time.
- The exhibition "Dabei Sein und nicht schweigen" (Show up and don’t be quiet) is at the Martin Gropius Bau gallery in Berlin until 6 December.
- The show presents 150 works and is the largest celebration of an East German female artist in a state museum.
- Stötzer refused to leave East Germany to avoid supporting the capitalist West German government and stayed to use the GDR as an artistic and feminist experimental space.
- She co-founded a women’s artists’ collective that operated under surveillance and frequent bans by the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police.
- Stötzer used everyday materials and her lived experiences, including dreams and traumas, as part of her art.
- She preferred to buy film for her Super 8 camera instead of food, capturing personal and rebellious expressions against state control.
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