Guided tour
A free guided tour through the “arcHIV. A Search for Traces” exhibition in German language. in 1985 the Schwules Museum was founded in West Berlin – in the middle of a AIDS panic in the media which caught the Federal Republic of Germany. This historical context has shaped the collecting and exhibiting record of the institution – from “Infectious” (1992/93) to “Intimacy” (2020/21).
The art collection owns selected works, the library holdings about HIV/Aids include thousands of programmatic books, brochures, newspaper articles, newspaper articles, videos, audios, as well as leaflets, flyers and ephemera of all kinds. In addition, the in-house archive keeps important assets and legacies – partly edited, partly almost untouched – of well-known artists and politically motivated people, but also legacies of unknown private individuals.
“arcHIV. A Search for Traces” explores the diverse museum holdings in 9 topics. Which stories are told from the given materials? What are the “traces” from the stories and experiences about HIV and Aids, from groups and themes, that have so far received little attention in the practices of collecting and exhibiting?
A registration is not necessary. The number of participantes is currently limited to ten people. Please fill the contact tracking list at the cash desk. Please protect yourself and our employees and come tested, recovered or fully vaccinated. A 3-G certificate is mandatory for participation. Participation is for free, only the entrance in the SMU itself has to be paid.