An exhibition presented by the Deutsches Historisches Museum and the
Schwules Museum*, jointly funded by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes and
the Kulturstiftung der Länder
With the exhibition “Homosexuality_ies”, the Schwules Museum* and the
Deutsches Historisches Museum present
the first comprehensive show on
the history, politics and culture of homosexuality. Covering a total
area of 1600 square meters, the show thematizes society's handling of
homosexuality in light of social, juridical and scientific repression.
It follows the gradual process of emancipation from the late 18th
century into the present. Jointly funded by the Kulturstiftung des
Bundes and the Kulturstiftung der Länder, “Homosexuality_ies” will be on
view at the Deutsches Historisches Museum and the Schwules Museum*
simultaneously from 26 June to 1 December 2015. Given the ongoing,
worldwide discourse on equal rights for homosexuals, both institutions
see this exhibition as an act that positions a socially and politically
current topic in the middle of society.
The exhibition at the DHM focuses on historical
developments in society, politics, art, law and science since the "
discovery " of homosexuality mid-19th century. Via a selection of
artistic positions, the exhibition part of the Schwules Museum* explores
the present and raises questions as to the future of gender codes and
Until now, the history and culture of homosexual
people have been conferred to the shadows of public memory. The
exhibition “Homosexuality_ies” presents an impressive abundance of
materials, formats and media that offer a broad public insight into the
multi-faceted and nuanced history. It acknowledges the
cultural-historical achievement of homosexual emancipation, which has
transformed society's understanding of gender identity. Homosexual
cultures and approaches to life have sharpened awareness of the
limitations of traditional gender codes and demanded recognition for the
diversity of alternative models of living. “Homosexuality_ies” strikes
out the usual perception that equates homosexuals with gay men,
emphasizing the vital roles lesbian activists have played in all these
The show traces the history of homosexuality_ies in
ten chapters, concluding with the present. It demonstrates how same-sex
sexuality and divergent gender identities have been criminalized through
legislation, pathologized in medicine and excluded from society.
Exhibits include a copy of the first secular criminal provisions
effective for the entire German territory, the “Constitutio Criminalis
Carolina” from the mid-16th century which, drawing on
religious traditions, punishes sexual acts “against nature” between
women and men alike with “death by fire”. A letter handwritten by the
author Karl Maria Kertbeny in 1868 will also be on view. That letter
contains the first use of the terms homosexual and heterosexual.
Since science began concerning itself with sexuality, homosexuality
designated a divergence from the “normal”. The exhibition thus
illustrates the efforts to diagnose and “cure” sexual and gender
“deviations” in medicine and psychology. As a counterpoint, models by
researchers including Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, Magnus Hirschfeld and
Judith Butler represent efforts past and present to establish
understanding for sexual and gender diversity.
A core section of the exhibition focuses on the
lesbian and gay movement, particularly after the legal liberalization
that occurred over the course of the 1960s. This section features a
plethora of exhibits including flyers, press materials, posters,
photographs, videos and objects – such as a preserved original
educational brochure from 1901 by the very first homosexual civil rights
association, the “Scientific-Humanitarian Committee”. Other exhibits
include the script from “Coming Out” (1989), the first and last official
film on homosexuality in East Germany, and footage of the “Muff Mobile”
at Christopher Street Day 1998 in Berlin.
In closing, “Homosexuality_ies” aims to present
contemporary debates and raise questions as to the future of gender
codes and sexualities. It shows how new coalitions of trans*, inter* and
queer-feminist protagonists are propelling the recognition of sexual
and gender diversity in society right now. Aside from historical
developments, the exhibition displays a wide range of subjective
experiences: One chapter is dedicated to very personal “Coming Out”
stories. Another highlights the cross-over from the personal to the
political, where codes in clothes, style and manner are exhibited, which
transformed over time from signs used to identify oneself to
like-minded fellows into offensive tactical manifestations in public.
A selection of works by contemporary international
artists comment on the exhibition's themes in a variety of ways. Artists
include Monica Bonvicini, Louise Bourgeois, Heather Cassils, Michael
Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset, Nicole Eisenman, Katarzyna Kozyra, Tamara
de Lempicka, Lee Lozano, Jeanne Mammen, Zanele Muholi, Henrik Olesen,
Sturtevant, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Andy Warhol.
The majority of the exhibits originate from private
initiatives that have conferred their collections to archives such as
the lesbian archive Spinnboden, the feminist archives FFBIZ and
Grauzone, Cologne's Frauenmediaturm and the Archive at the Schwules
Museum*. In that respect, this show funded substantially by the
Kulturstiftung des Bundes and the Kulturstiftung der Länder raises a
fundamental question regarding how the topic of “Homosexuality_ies” can
be represented and presented properly in museums and archives.
The exhibition has been curated by Dr.
Birgit Bosold, Dr. Dorothée Brill and Detlef Weitz, with research
contributed by Dr. Sarah Bornhorst, Noemi Molitor and Kristine Schmidt.
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Among contemporary realities, Roberta Orlando's work takes part in Homosexuality_ies.