Fotografiska’s grand opening: Inside Berlin’s new photography museum

Surrounded by the noisy streets of Berlin, the new contemporary art gallery, Fotografiska, invites the attention of the ones who remember its past days when it was known as Art House Tacheles and the younger generation getting familiar with a space in its current glory.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, for more than twenty years, the old department store building served as a space for artist squatters eager to create, share, and connect. Open round the clock, the building invited people interested in art and culture while also operating a movie theatre, bar, and concert venue. However, in 2012, the government decided to evict the artists and start the renovations, with a promise to turn the building into a modernised art space. In September 2023, after lengthy renovations, the new branch of Fotografiska finally started accepting guests inside these walls.

The future of Fotografiska

Fotografiska is set to host exhibitions of international artists, bringing their unique visions together. The themes of the opening three shows revolve around gender, race, and sexuality. It includes a ‘presentation of nude’ by 30 female artists - a show that challenges contemporary depiction of the body using different mediums, such as intimate shots done by a 35mm camera and video installations. On the second floor, ‘Ussyphilia’ by American visual artist Juliana Huxtable presents the latest video installations and self-portraits by the artist. The last floor is dedicated to the show ‘Whiteface’ by South African artist Candice Breitz. The show is a satire illustrating the controversial speeches used by white political figures or media when depicting complex race issues. All of the inaugural shows connect with the viewer, granting them access to the thoughts and lives of marginalised groups while making them aware of their privileges. Even though they are thematically linked, each artist offers a unique vision of the topic, not boring the viewer with similar visuals. The accurately planned showrooms allow the guests to feel completely immersed in art and detached from the outside world. 

The remodelling

Even though, after the remodelling, the gallery has become a branch of a Swedish-owned Fotografiska, and the insides of the renovated space have a Scandinavian feel, the halls and the staircases still serve the viewer with Berlin spirit. The first thing the audience stumbles upon is the walls covered in graffiti, punk stickers, and half-peeled posters, telling the story of the previous tenants and what they stood for. You can almost time travel and find yourself surrounded by young, spirited artists ready to give up everything for the art they believe in.