The Finnish Institute in Berlin presents

Crush

curated by Alana Lake

in collaboration with Feld + Haus Projects and frontviews, kindly supported by Blue Planet.

Witalij Frese, Marianna Ignataki, Atis Jākobsons, Artor Jesus Inkerö, Laura Könönen, Alana Lake, Barbara Lüdde, Janne Räisänen, Anne Tompuri and Aki Turunen.

Opening 11 Mar 5 – 9 pm

Opening hours
11 Mar – 2 Apr 2022
Tue – Sat 11 am – 6 pm

Crush is an exhibition about desire and queer social exclusion as the multiple meanings of the word are explored. Crush is not only about feeling lustful and passionate, but it is also about feeling crushed, rejected and outcast – a narrative so often lived by LGBTQI+ identifying groups.

As we know, rejection also affects our self-esteem, it can lead to a range of overwhelming feelings like hurt, anger and disappointment as it destabilises our need to belong. It comes as no surprise then, that former derogatory terms like fag, dyke or queer have been reclaimed and are used to identify groups of individuals creating a sense of belonging and community in a stance against intolerance and prejudice. Queer, broadly speaking, has become a term that defines a different way of life or living from the norm. It celebrates diversity and moves to stand against conservative structures embedded within our society. In this sense Crush navigates some queer perspectives born from a place of fear and anxiety, and in the face of rejection and in adversity, still looks towards a future of connectivity. It is an exhibition about desire – a desire to connect and to be accepted.

Crush is curated by British artist Alana Lake currently living and working in Berlin. Lake studied at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, and Crush is an extension of her ongoing research project Pleasure Drive that explores the relationship between art and psychoanalysis.

FELD+HAUS Projects
Seestraße 131
13353, Berlin

Public transport
S-Bahn Beusselstraße
Bus Seestraße/Beusselstraße + Sylter Straße
Tram Virchow-Klinikum

Web / Social Media
https://feld-haus.com/berlin/
IG @feldhausprojects
https://finnland-institut.de/en/
IG @finnlandinst
www.frontviews.de
IG @frontviews_berlin