Neubrandenburg's change of scenery”: art with provocative nudity!

Neubrandenburg's change of scenery”: art with provocative nudity!

Silvio Witt, the former mayor of Neubrandenburg, opened an exciting new chapter in his life on June 20th. After his resignation in October 2024 and the new elections in May this year, he decided to devote himself to the art scene. Together with his friend and business partner, Joke Reichel, he is opening the new gallery “Papetenwechsel” at Katharinenstraße 23 next Saturday at 4 p.m. This gallery has set itself the goal of dealing with provocative topics and creating space for creative forms of expression. Northern Courier reports on the visionary direction of the project.

The opening is accompanied by the photo exhibition “Häutung”, which delves deeply into the Berlin techno music scene and the aesthetics of eroticism. The works show a series of snapshots and posed images in black and white, presenting not only naked bodies, but also sex toys as well as patent and leather accessories. The photos appear to provide an answer to the challenges facing society 35 years after the death of the influential photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and bring into play the themes of identity, gender and body image. The author of the exhibition, in collaboration with Joke Reichel, has already rediscovered Mapplethorpe's fundamental works, which are known for their “pure black and white poetry”. Change of scenery explains the intention behind the images on display.

A look at art and its meaning

At a time when diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly important in nude photography, Reichel takes a step towards unconventionality with “Skinning”. The photography with a focus on the condition of the male body at night shows conscious authenticity. “It's about not staging, but rather capturing life as it is,” says the artist, describing his approach. The works were created in situations in which people live their lives but often don't like to talk about them.

The “Papetenwechsel” gallery will not only house Witt and Reichel’s vision, but will also offer other artists the opportunity to show their work. The exhibition rooms will initially be open until October, and it remains exciting to see how the local art market will develop through such creative initiatives. Witt emphasized that Neubrandenburg needs a space for subcultures that allow people to express themselves and experiment. Nude artwork workshops highlights the ongoing developments in nude photography and shows that the discussion about body perception and self-expression has not lost its relevance even in the present.

Next Saturday, Neubrandenburg can look forward to an exciting opening that will not only enliven the art scene, but also initiate a discourse on important social issues. With “Häutung” the team around Silvio Witt and Joke Reichel will provide the impetus for in-depth conversations.