Having out-grown their labyrinthine space in Kreuzberg, ChertLüdde has recently moved into a more grandiose “mini-complex” in the heart of Schöneberg.
Before it was stripped back and painted white, artists Petrit Halilaj and Alvaro Urbano referenced its former use as the well-known costume shop Deko Behrendt by preserving its multi-layered wallpaper and exhibiting it in thick rectangular chunks. In the proceeding galleries, their enormous fragile canvas flowers hang down from up on high. Commemorating important moments in this artist couple’s relationship, the blue forget-me-nots are like attentive, benevolent entities looking down on the visitors below.
Interspersed throughout the rooms are Annette Frick’s intimate photos of Berlin’s LGBTQ crowd originating from the famed store. There are many textures to the show, which is exactly what this new space provides – the ability to show multiple positions and allow them to play off each other.
Nevertheless, it’s still a risky move. Galleries tend to group together, and although it’s in a buzzing part of town, it’s still off the beaten track. On the strength of this exhibition, though, drawing in the crowds shouldn’t be a problem.
- ChertLüdde, Schöneberg Through May 21
