BEHIND THE MASK - Portraits by Martin Schoeller

July 06 - August 28, 2011

With the beginning of the SHOWROOM DAYS BERLIN, the Museum THE KENNEDYS will temporarily turn into a photographic catwalk for trendsetters, style icons as well as fashion rebels of the international fashion world. The exhibition "Behind the Mask" shows one of the most fascinating portrait series of the last couple of years worldwide.

Whether pop stars, athletes, actors, or politicians: It is the people from the public sphere who influence the public opinion and create a socially acceptable consensus out of short-lived lifestyle trends. Not only do they perfectly master the art of self-representation in the media - the high society also creates an impression of all-encompassing perfection and flawless beauty. In combination with their omnipresence in the media, public figures thus appear as inaccessible, seemingly surreal figures. To break through this masquerade and to present the person behind it is the self-proclaimed goal of internationally renowned photographer Martin Schoeller.

For many years, Martin Schoeller has been portraying international celebrities in a unique and incomparable form and visual language, presenting their individual personalities and underlining their distinctive characteristics. Just like in a trusting relationship, the portrayed individuals accept the photographer's rules which are responsible for his unique style. These rules, for example, include the minimal utilization of make-up as well as doing without a subsequent touch-up. Schoeller deprives the stars in front of the camera of the instruments of self-representation and purposeful image-creation, resulting in a vulnerable, mask-less impression, easier to read for the observer, almost comparable to a face study.

True to the motto of the SHOWROOM DAYS BERLIN "We are not afraid…", Hollywood-Stars such as Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, politicians such as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, soccer icons Franz Beckenbauer and Jürgen Klinsmann, pop-idols such as Katy Perry and even it-girl Paris Hilton show that they are not afraid of "opening up" for Martin Schoeller and his camera. With the special exhibition "Behind the Mask - Portraits by Martin Schoeller", the museum THE KENNEDYS shows a selection of fascinating portraits from the CAMERA WORK AG portfolio. Many of the pictures stem from Schoeller's famous series "Close Up", which has appeared both in monographs as well as magazines. While looking at the pictures, the viewer is challenged to question topics such as self-representation as well as the impressive explanatory power of portrait photography. Furthermore, the portrayed provoke the observer to compare the individuals' appearance as communicated through the media with the viewer's own impressions and experiences.

The Museum THE KENNEDYS offers a guided tour of the special exhibition on Saturday, July 9, 2011, at 3 p.m. In the context of the weekly "Students for the Kennedys"-tours you do not only get to know the portrayed individuals a little better - you will also acquire some exciting background information on the special conditions on the set, the specific visual language as well as the overall work created by Martin Schoeller. The tour is included in the admission price.

On the occasion of the 80th Birthday - MIKHAIL GORBACHEV
"From the Family Album"

February 25 - March 27, 2011

The Museum THE KENNEDYS is delighted to present you, from February 25 until March 27, on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Mikhail Gorbachev on March 2, the special exhibition MIKHAIL GORBACHEV "From the Family Album".

In the special exhibition over 90 photographs, partly stemming from private collections, are on display. They provide previously unseen insights into the moving life of the statesman, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Gorbachev was the Soviet head of state and party leader from 1985 to 1991 and was instrumental in the termination of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany. He strongly influenced history and politics through the introduction of the reforms of Perestroika (reorganization) and Glasnost (transparency).

The photographs chosen for this grand exhibition reflect the most important touchstones of his life, therefore spanning from his childhood days and his years of study to his political beginnings and the apex of his political career.

The museum does not only show numerous photographs of Gorbachev with his wife Raisa but also with political icons such as Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, Boris Yeltsin, Helmut Kohl, George Bush, and Margaret Thatcher.

Until today Gorbachev is involved with parties and international organizations. In 1990 Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work and, in 1992, he founded the Gorbachev Foundation in Moscow.

James Dean: A Different Icon

January 19 - February 20, 2011

With the beginning of the SHOWROOM DAYS BERLIN, the museum THE KENNEDYS will embark on a journey through time to the mid-20th century. Alongside the political icon John F. Kennedy, the story of another icon of pop culture will be put into focus: James Dean. Starting on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, a special exhibition on the phenomenon James Dean will be put on display in the architecturally appealing premises of the museum. The museum THE KENNEDYS offers its visitors the unique opportunity to encounter the special relationship between fashion life style and James Dean, whose 80th birthday anniversary falls on 8 February 2011. Taking its cue from the motto of the SHOWROOM DAYS BERLIN, "How classy am I…", visitors are encouraged to question the relationship between traditional values such as elegance and grace and the unique "Dean Style".

Hardly any other Hollywood actor of the post-war era influenced an entire epoch and generation as substantially as he did. Even up to today, many myths and legends surround this illustrious figure, making James Dean an object of research in many scientific fields. Rebel, dissident, iconic character: It was not only James Dean's attitude towards life which perfectly mirrored the uniqueness of his personality within the world of Hollywood and beyond. With his unusual sense for fashion, he very consciously defied the strict conventions of the masses in the conservative America of the 1950s. Whether auditioning for a Broadway show in New York in ripped jeans and with bare feet, dressed, as journalists put it, "like a bum", or iconographically portrayed by Magnum photographer Dennis Stock: James Dean polarized society with his oftentimes criticized affronts in fashion.

Fifteen photographs, some of which are deeply anchored in the collective memory, will be the main focus of the fashion days in the museum THE KENNEDYS. With James Dean as the protagonist, they offer a thorough portrait of the actor's diversity in style. Along the photographs by Dennis Stock, many of the pieces on display were shot by Phil Stern and Roy Schatt, whose work was created in the context of a photography class with James Dean.

In order to gain a deeper insight into the life, impact, as well as the characteristics in style and fashion of James Dean, the museum THE KENNEDYS invites not only fashion aficionados to take part in an interesting guided tour on Saturday, 22 January, 2011, at 3 p.m. In the context of the weekly "Students for the Kennedys"-tours, you will get to know the, in many ways even for a star actor unusual, way of dressing, as well as experience the unique permanent exhibition THE KENNEDYS. The price for the tour is included in the admission.

Since March 20, 2010, CAMERA WORK has been presenting a double exhibition showcasing works by London-based photographer Nadav Kander in its gallery show rooms as well as its Museum THE KENNEDYS.

Nadav Kander, who has received numerous international awards, most recently won the prestigious photo prize Prix Pictet, including in the short list, Andreas Gursky, Ed Burtnsky, Ed Kashi among others. In the same year, he was also awarded the Lucie Award 2009 for best international photographer. For many years, Kander's photographs have been an integral part of distinguished collections such as those of the NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY and the VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM in London. It is our special honor to present parts of his versatile work for the first time in form of a double exhibition.

Obama's People at the Museum THE KENNEDYS

The series "Obama's People", developed in 2008, focuses solely on the administration - members of the cabinet and closest staff members - of the current President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. The outstanding 53 portraits depict, among others, U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. This series of photographs, commissioned by Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, and Gerald Merzorati, editor of the New York Times, was published in the magazine's special edition of January 18, 2009. The color photographs depict the regency in Washington, D.C., with subtle dynamics in the form of half-length portraits. The pictures are characterized by an accuracy with which Kander submits the politicians to a unique perspective.

Complimenting Kander's "Obama's People", CAMERA WORK will present Richard Avedon's Series "The Family" - published in the magazine The Rolling Stone in 1976 - from its own collection. Richard Avedon was one of the most influential and significant fashion and portrait photographers of the 20th century. During his long-term occupation as photographer for The New Yorker, Avedon developed his own puristic, reduced pictorial language in his portraits. In addition, he worked for Harper's Bazaar as well as Vogue und received numerous awards, not the least of which the Highest Achievement Medal.

The internationally renowned photo series of Richard Avedon and Nadav Kander will be presented together for the very first time, and they unveil the media-based transportation of politics as well as the reciprocal effect between political staging and specifically directed image cultivation.

TWO DAYS IN BERLIN - IMAGES OF A CITY

November 11, 2009 - March 14, 2010

The museum THE KENNEDYS is participating in Berlin's special project this year called "20 Years Fall of the Wall". Our contribution includes a special exhibition entitled "Two Days in Berlin - Images of a City". The 50 exhibited pieces will complement the museum's permanent Kennedy exhibition. Two key moments of post-war Berlin will be presented side by side for this exhibition. One of these is John F. Kennedy's visit to Berlin, the other is the day the Berlin Wall came crumbling down.

The exhibition will display photographs from renowned photographers Bruno Barbey, Thomas Billhardt, Leonard Freed, Thomas Hoepker and Will Mc Bride. They succeeded to capture the effusive emotions of both days and to place them in connection with the events. As an extension of these lived moments, the museum will show numerous snapshots of the times before and after both major event. Through this focus, precisely, the exhibition captures the living conditions of people on both sides of the wall and documents daily life in the divided city.

With the special exhibition "Two Days in Berlin", the Museum THE KENNEDYS would like to make accessible its expertise about Kennedy's visit in order to present the fall of the wall in a different light, as a massive but peaceful event. Within the general historical context of the cold war, both days have now entered the collective consciousness of people around the world. The comparison of both days allows for exciting parallels to emerge and shows, in a different way, the development of Berlin between both memorable days.

President Barack Obama - On the Tracks of the Kennedys?

May 1 – November 9, 2009

The museum THE KENNEDYS devotes a special exhibition to the 44th American president, Barack Obama. The temporary show will complement the permanent exhibition of the museum at the Brandenburger Tor with about 40 pieces, many of which are photographs by the official White House photographer, Pete Souza.

Souza was already shadowing Barack Obama during his mandate as senator. His photographs succeed in capturing the dynamism and charisma of this American bearer of hope. The photographs that show, for example, Obama in a circle of followers or with his family, also often point to symbols of the American presidency that were established and diversified by former incumbents.

Due to the highly discussed parallels and connections between Obama and various Kennedy family members, the museum THE KENNEDYS offers the perfect setting to ask oneself to what extent these comparisons are justified. As spokesmen for change, Kennedy, as well as Obama, symbolize the dynamism and progress of a new generation. Both politicians succeeded in convincingly embody optimism, new perspectives, and the spirit of a new beginning in their campaigns, thus electrifying people and rallying them to their cause. This motivation was particularly transmitted by expressing feelings of closeness and trust. These feelings were translated through photography. Both politicians seem familiar because photographs show them not only in their political but also in their private everyday lives.

In light of the numerous parallels made in the past few months between the 35th and 44th president of the United States, this exhibition will provide the opportunity to discover for oneself, in the heart of Berlin , what these comparisons are all about.