Sven Marquardt returns to the Philippines for his first solo exhibition of photography in the country.
FUTURE’S PAST is a collection of black and white portraits taken over 30 years in Berlin.
Sven Marquardt was born in 1962, just a year after the construction of the infamous Berlin Wall. He grew up in East Berlin and got involved in the punk scene during his youth. He ran into trouble with the GDR authorities often enough that soon, he was banned from Mitte, the city’s central district.
Marquardt began his career in photography during the early 1980’s in East Berlin. Photographs taken during the height of his involvement in punk offers an extensive documentation of GDR’s subculture at the time.
After his education as a photographer and camera man, he found a mentor in the person of Helga Paris. Herself a photographer and a social critic, Paris helped him shape his photography and find his own style.
Starting out as camera assistant and later as a fashion photographer, Marquardt found himself immersed in Berlin’s techno club scene, shooting images that capture the heart and soul of the era, of the subculture in which he himself was entrenched.
In addition to his creative portfolio, the name Sven Marquardt is synonymous to Berlin’s most exclusive nightclub, Berghain, where he worked as a doorman for many years.
Berghain saw its popularity rise in the mid-2000s propelled by its notorious exclusivity and strict adherence to great techno music.
A few years after it opened, people dubbed Berghain as the “mecca of techno music”.
The association with Berghain, his photography and his distinct appearance elevated Marquardt into a cult figure in Berlin.
Sven Marquardt has since been travelling around the globe for his exhibitions. He has published several books, worked with established brands and renowned institutions such as the photography school Ostkreuzschule and the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art.
“Future’s Past” is brought to Manila by the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the German Cultural Center, in partnership with the Yuchengco Museum.
It opens on June 29, 6 to 9 PM at Yuchengco’s Bridgeway Foyer Gallery & Cone Room.
There will be short discussion and Q&A with the artist.
Exhibit runs from June 29 to August 11, 2017 from 10AM – 6PM.
The Yuchengco Museum is at RCBC Plaza corner Ayala and Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati
Opening night si free.
Exhibit rates: Php 100 (Regular) / Php 50 (Seniors, Students and PWD)