Catherine Opie "The pause that dreams against erasure"

The Fridericianum presents the first institutional solo exhibition of Catherine Opie in Germany, parallel to the artist's exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The presentation has been specially designed by the artist for the Fridericianum, allowing the works to enter into a dialogue with the architecture and history of the historic building. Central groups of works from a period of over thirty years will be displayed: from early portraits in the LGBTQIA* communities, through photographic series that explore landscapes as resonant spaces for identity, hopes, and traumas, to documentation of movements such as Black Lives Matter or of protest marches in the context of Donald Trump’s presidency. The questions of what defines a person, which influences shape them into what characterizes them, how a detachment from determining social influences is possible, and what alternative life concepts might be realistic options form the central framework for Catherine Opie's work. Since the early 1990s, the artist has been working on a complex body of work that includes not only photographs but also films, art books, and installations. Opie connects to the traditions of socially oriented photography of the 20th century and subjects them to a far-sighted, empathetic update. In doing so, she establishes her own visual language and aesthetics, which, together with the societal relevance of her themes, makes her one of the most influential voices of the present.