berlin's futures and utopias of the 1990s captured in 'dream on' photo exhibition at C/O

Dream On: OSTKREUZ’s Visual Chronicle of Berlin’s 1990s

Photography and visual media exhibition center C/O Berlin unveils a new show titled Dream On—Berlin: The 90s. The display delves into the city’s transitional phase after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a period marked by profound social, cultural, and economic changes. It brings together the work of nine photographers from OSTKREUZ, a photo agency established by young artists from former East Germany during this transformative time. Through a diverse collection of images, the exhibition offers a nuanced portrayal of Berlin’s shifting landscape, capturing the experiences of its youth, the rise of new cultural trends, and the evolving face of the city. The photographs reflect a Berlin caught between past and future, grappling with its divided history while embracing its role as the new capital of a unified Germany.

Jordis Antonia Schlösser, Occupied Kunsthaus Tacheles, Oranienburger Straße, Berlin-Mitte, 1997 © Jordis Antonia Schlösser/OSTKREUZ, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2024

C/O Berlin reflects on the changing identity of the city

Berlin in the 1990s was a city in transition, navigating its way between past and future. The era was marked by both a spirit of hope and a fear of losing identity. As the city rebuilt itself, it became a hub for subcultures, with abandoned spaces turned into makeshift clubs, art studios, and communal venues. The emerging visions and dreams of the 1990s have left a permanent mark on Berlin’s identity, shaping its character and energy even today. This dynamic period is the focus of Dream On—Berlin: The 90s, on view at C/O Berlin (find more here), which captures the atmosphere of a city caught between upheaval and reinvention.

During this time, a group of young photographers from former East Germany founded the OSTKREUZ photo agency (find more here) in East Berlin. Their images became an essential visual record of the transformations taking place across the city. The exhibition brings together works by OSTKREUZ members, including co-founders Sibylle Bergemann, Harald Hauswald, Ute Mahler, and Werner Mahler, along with Annette Hauschild, Thomas Meyer, Jordis Antonia Schlösser, Anne Schönharting, and Maurice Weiss. With their distinct perspectives, they documented everything from the newly developing neighborhoods and construction sites at Potsdamer Platz to the rise of the techno scene and the everyday lives of Berliners. Curated by Annette Hauschild and Boaz Levin, the show offers a compelling visual narrative of a city reshaping itself, helping visitors understand the complex forces that influenced Berlin’s metamorphosis during this era.

Annette Hauschild, Wrapped Reichstag, the final night, Berlin, 1995 © Annette Hauschild/OSTKREUZ. For the wrapped Reichstag: Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95 © Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2024

Thomas Meyer, from the series Tresor, Berlin, 2000 © Thomas Meyer/OSTKREUZ

Maurice Weiss, Chaos Computer Camp, Altlandsberg, Brandenburg, August 1999 © Maurice Weiss/OSTKREUZ

Harald Hauswald, Construction site at Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, looking east, 1994 © Harald Hauswald/OSTKREUZ

Sibylle Bergemann, Fallow land by the Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, 1990 © Estate Sibylle Bergemann/OSTKREUZ

Annette Hauschild, Anti-Olympics demonstration, occupied building, Haus K77, Kastanienallee, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, 1993 © Annette Hauschild/OSTKREUZ

Ute Mahler, Laying of the foundation stone of the Hessian State Representation at Potsdamer Platz, Berlin September 17, 1999 © Ute Mahler/OSTKREUZ

Annette Hauschild, Love Parade, „Planet“ truck, with Wotan Wilke Möhring (among others), Kurfürstendamm, Berlin, 1991 © Annette Hauschild/OSTKREUZ

project info:

name: Dream On—Berlin: The 90s
photo agency: OSTKREUZ | @agenturostkreuz
location: C/O Berlin | @coberlin
dates: 14 September 2024 – 22 January 2025