By Editorial Staff
Updated: June 20, 2026
In the heart of Berlin, the Martin Gropius Bau has opened its doors to a monumental retrospective of one of Germany’s most resilient and multifaceted artistic voices: Gabriele Stötzer. Titled "Dabei sein und nicht schweigen" (To be present and not to be silent), the exhibition serves as a profound meditation on the power of individual agency in the face of systemic repression.
The exhibition comes at a significant moment in the artist’s career. This year, Stötzer made history as the first East German artist to be awarded the prestigious Kaiserring, the coveted art prize of the city of Goslar. While the accolade places her in the company of legends like Christo, Rebecca Horn, and Joseph Beuys, Stötzer’s reaction to the news was characteristically grounded. "When I heard I was receiving the Kaiserring, I didn’t realize the magnitude of it," she admitted during the exhibition’s press preview. "I thought, ‘Oh, they are giving me a ring.’ It wasn’t until I looked up the list of past recipients that I panicked—I thought, ‘Good heavens, tomorrow you’ll be dead!’"
Despite her self-deprecating humor, the weight of her contribution to German culture is undeniable. The Gropius Bau exhibition features over 150 works spanning five decades, documenting a life defined by an refusal to conform to the dictates of an authoritarian state.
The Crucible of the GDR: A Chronology of Resistance
To understand the depth of Stötzer’s work, one must understand the environment in which it was forged. Born in Thuringia in 1953, Stötzer grew up in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), a state that viewed artistic independence as a threat to ideological uniformity.
The 1970s: Imprisonment and Ideological Conflict
Stötzer’s friction with the GDR regime began early. By her early twenties, her creative output had already caught the attention of the Ministry for State Security (the Stasi). In 1977, her vocal opposition to the expatriation of singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann led to her arrest. Charged with "slandering the state," she served a year in the notorious Hoheneck women’s prison. During this period, she was subjected to constant surveillance; authorities alternatively branded her a "political threat" or attempted to pathologize her behavior, suggesting she required psychiatric intervention.
The 1980s: Collective Action and "Verschwesterung"
Following her release, Stötzer did not retreat. Instead, she became a pivotal figure in the East German underground art scene. In 1984, she co-founded the Künstlerinngruppe Erfurt (Erfurt Women Artists’ Group). This collective became a beacon of creative freedom, utilizing Super-8 film, performance art, and fashion shows to bypass official censorship.
Central to this period was the concept of "Verschwesterung" (sisterhood). By making their own lives the subject of their art—often incorporating the naked body as a site of feminist self-assertion—these women transformed individual suffering into collective political energy. As Stötzer noted, "Our principle was to make our lives the subject of our art. The individual protests and ruptures gained meaning that way, helping us not to fizzle out in a lonely uprising."
The 1989 Turning Point
The culmination of her activism arrived in the winter of 1989. As the socialist structure began to crumble, Stötzer founded the group "Women for Change." In a landmark act of defiance, the group occupied the Stasi district administration office in Erfurt—the first such occupation of its kind in the history of the GDR. This moment of direct action is meticulously documented in the Berlin exhibition through photographs and archival interviews.
Supporting Data: An Interdisciplinary Oeuvre
The Gropius Bau exhibition serves as a testament to Stötzer’s versatility. She has never adhered to a single medium, viewing artistic expression as a fluid extension of existence. Visitors to the exhibition are met with:
- Super-8 Films: Experimental works that capture the raw, gritty reality of life in the GDR.
- Textile Art & Fashion: Objects that blend traditional craft with radical, performance-based expression.
- Photography and Drawing: Intimate documentations of the body and the domestic sphere.
- Recent Sculptural Work: The exhibition concludes with "Undine comes," a series of large-scale wool sculptures featuring monumental, nude female figures with emphasized anatomical features. Stötzer views these as representations of the "primal force of the feminine."
The breadth of these materials defies easy categorization. When asked to identify as a "feminist," "activist," or "victim," Stötzer rejects these labels as "stink-boring." She asserts that her work is not merely a reaction to oppression, but an autonomous creation born from internal necessity.
Official Recognition and Historical Perspective
The evolution of Stötzer’s status—from a state-persecuted prisoner to a recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit—is a reflection of Germany’s own historical reckoning. When presenting her with the Federal Cross of Merit in 2013, then-President Joachim Gauck highlighted the importance of her narrative: "Gabriele Stötzer makes it tangibly clear through her work as a writer and artist what state oppression, surveillance, and violence mean for the individual."
The exhibition at the Gropius Bau is not merely a look back at a dark chapter of German history; it is a live conversation about the role of the artist in society. Critics have noted that while the subject matter often touches on trauma, the work is consistently underpinned by a profound sense of humor and vital energy.
Implications for Modern Discourse
The relevance of the exhibition "Dabei sein und nicht schweigen" extends far beyond the borders of historical interest. In an era where political discourse is increasingly polarized and individual freedoms are frequently debated, Stötzer’s career offers a roadmap for persistent, creative resistance.
1. The Power of the "Lived Life"
Stötzer’s philosophy that the "life itself must be the subject of art" challenges the commodification of creative work. Her legacy encourages artists to integrate their personal ethics with their public output, preventing the "fizzling out" of political movements.
2. The Role of Feminist Collectivism
The documentation of the Künstlerinngruppe Erfurt reminds contemporary audiences that gender equality was not just an ideal in the underground, but a functional tool for survival. The exhibition demonstrates how the act of "coming together" serves as a buffer against state-sponsored isolation.
3. Resilience in the Face of Exile
Stötzer’s decision to remain in the GDR, despite the "liquidation" of her galleries and the constant loss of friends who fled to the West, serves as a powerful case study in resilience. Her work suggests that staying to fight for one’s space, rather than seeking comfort in exile, is a viable and often necessary form of political commitment.
Conclusion: A Living Legacy
As the exhibition at the Gropius Bau progresses through the summer, it stands as a defiant monument to the woman who refused to be silenced. Gabriele Stötzer remains an outlier—a figure who defies the neat boxes of art history, choosing instead to remain as dynamic and unpredictable as the "Undine" figures in her latest works.
For those visiting Berlin, the exhibition is more than a display of artifacts; it is an invitation to engage with the question of what it means to be truly "present." Stötzer’s life and work prove that even when the state attempts to erase the individual, the act of creation—when done with courage and a bit of humor—is a force that cannot be contained.
"Dabei sein und nicht schweigen" is currently on display at the Martin Gropius Bau, serving as a reminder that the most radical act one can perform is to simply keep speaking, keep creating, and never stop showing up.
