Indescribably female: GDR art shows strong women in Cottbus

Indescribably female: GDR art shows strong women in Cottbus

In the Cottbus diesel power plant, everything is currently about the multifaceted art scene of the GDR. The exhibition "indescribably feminine" shows an impressive picture of women in the GDR until August 10, examining the work of little -known artists: inside. A highlight is the drawing "Frau im Rad" by Sabine Herrmann, which addresses the area of tension between vulnerability and persistence. Monika Geilsdorf, who proudly presented herself as a young woman in a self -portrait in 1976, reflects the reality of equality. Hans Jüchser created an impressive portrait of his wife Helga in 1894, who captivates stylistically in an elegant pose.

The atmosphere of the exhibitions is enriched by the photographs of Evelyn Richter, which focuses on workers at work, while Rudolf Bergander paints the "rubble women" in gentle realism in 1955. An attraction is particularly touching that deals with topics such as the aging body and loneliness. This also includes the photography of Gundula Schulze Eldowy, the Tamerlan, an old woman, has accompanied for years. An accompanying cabinet exhibition also illuminates the youthful rebel and punk in the GDR, with a clear focus on local actors.

a look into the past

If you are interested in the cultural currents of the GDR, you have even more options in the Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus. The exhibition “Against the line or the danced anger” runs until August 17th and the show “Sending from the Gegenum” can be seen until August 24th. The latter treats strategies of networking under state control and, among other things, shows portraits of young women in the style of the 1920s by Clemens Gröszer. On a hand-drawn list from the Stasi documents archive there are "negative-decadent teenagers", which were perceived as part of the scene.

posters, photos and film excerpts give a lively insight into the punk scene of the time. A quote from Lutz Dammbeck reflects the connection between state artists and the counter -revolutionary avant -garde, while the exhibitions show a relaxed relationship to the heroization of dissidentism. The posters of Eigen + Art, which document the beginnings of the gallery in a attic in Leipzig in 1983, are also exciting.

music as a resistance

Another highlight in the diesel power plant was the hiking exhibition "Freejazz in the GDR. World level in the surveillance state". This exhibition, which was created in cooperation between the memory laboratory Berlin and the House of Brandenburg-Prussian history, addressed the exciting development of the free jazz scene in the GDR. Despite a surveillance state, this music genre flourished from the early 1970s and brought about internationally sought -after musicians: inside.

The opening day, November 21, 2013, including Helmut "Joe" Sachse and Uwe Kropinski, was a complete success. Exhibits that come from the collection of the art museum document the creative power of this movement. The reactions of the state, which ranged from incomprehension to pressure and funding offers, are just as exciting. The exhibition illuminated the joy of playing and enjoyment of the free jazz scene and offers an interesting recall on the cultural cradle of the GDR.

The Cottbus diesel power plant remains an important place to keep the cultural history of the GDR alive. It not only offers a look at the past, but also reflects how art and music found a voice in resistance to state control. If you are interested in this topic, you are welcome to visit the ongoing exhibitions and immerse yourself in an epochale time.

More about the ongoing exhibitions can be found in the reports of the taz href = "https://www.niederlausitz-aktuell.de/niederlausitz-aktuell/cottbus/33522/dkw-kunstmuseum-dieselkraftwerk.html"> Niederlausitz Aktuell