Annette Frick (*1957) is one of the most important photographers of Berlin’s queer subcultures. Her stylistically unmistakable, intimate and respectful portraits of “gender outlaws” (Kate Bornstein) bear witness to her deep connection with these communities. In over three decades, Frick has created an impressive visual archive that is now part of the queer canon. Her work has been presented in numerous exhibitions, including “Das Achte Feld: Geschlechter, Leben und Begehren in der Kunst seit 1960” at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne (2005), “Abriss, Trümmertunten und internationale Individuen: Berlin 1991 – 2010” at the Märkisches Museum (2019) and the comprehensive retrospective “Ein Augenblick im Niemandsland” at the Marta Herford Museum (2023). Back in 2003, the Schwules Museum presented the exhibition “FUCK GENDER: Photos by Annette Frick, 1995-2003”. The series of the same name, a project that has been running since 1990, is a central group of works in Frick’s oeuvre. With the generous support of the Kulturstiftung der Länder and in cooperation with Galerie ChertLüdde, the Schwules Museum has been able to acquire a series and two individual works by Annette Frick for its collection.
The series entitled “Gunter” (six black and white photographs, 1995) shows the artist and activist of the queer deaf movement Gunter Trube (1960-2008), who developed prevention material for deaf gays together with the Deutsche Aidshilfe in 1996, in the process of “getting into drag”. “Portrait of Fiona & a Friend” (2001) shows two drag queens. A photograph from 1999 portrays political Tunte, gay activist, fashion designer, actor, TV presenter, entertainer (and much more) BeV StroganoV.
The Kulturstiftung der Länder supported the purchase with 10,000 euros. Prof. Dr. Markus Hilgert, Secretary General of the Kulturstiftung der Länder, commented: “Annette Frick’s impressive portraits not only depict Berlin’s vibrant cultural diversity and the realities of life for LGBTQ people, but also show how diverse the community itself is. I am delighted that the Kulturstiftung der Länder has been able to support the purchase of these works, which are valuable not least as historical documents – and this shortly before the 40th anniversary of the Schwules Museum next year.”
There are already nine works by the artist in the SMU collection. The centerpiece is the five-part portfolio “Fuck Gender” (2003) with photographs of stars of the Berlin drag scene such as Gérôme Castell (1997), Johnny Kingsize (2003) or Tilly Creutzfeld-Jakob + Camilla Light (2000). There are also a number of individual portraits (Tima, the Divine, n.d., and Ovo Maltine as Marlene Dietrich, 1993). According to Birgit Bosold and Ben Miller, both on the board of the Schwules Museum, Annette Frick’s works correspond with central areas of the SMU collection, e.g. with the work of the well-known gay photographer Jürgen Baldiga, who died in 1993 as a result of an AIDS-related illness and whose extensive estate is in the SMU. “Frick’s perspective adds decisive artistic and historical aspects to Baldiga’s view, because together they provide a multi-layered insight into the lively and resistant queer subculture in the midst of the HIV and AIDS crisis and shed light on their life and survival strategies against the backdrop of the rapidly changing political and social realities and the very dynamic development in Berlin in the immediate pre- and post-reunification period,” says Birgit Bosold.
On December 6, the exhibition “FUCK GENDER. Photographs by Annette Frick from the Schwules Museum Collection”. It presents the artist’s newly acquired works together with selected pieces from the museum’s collection.
Photo: Annette Frick, from the six-part series “Gunter”, 1995, print by the artist on silver gelatin baryta paper, 24×18 cm; Schwules Museum (c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2024
