Russell Tovey curates PETER BERLIN ; PERMISSION TO STARE @ Mariposa Gallery , LA

Peter Berlin is a German-American photographer and pioneer queer filmmaker whose two films, helped bring gay male erotic films artistic legitimacy.  He was also an artist, filmmaker, clothing designer/sewer, and model  In his early 20s, he worked as a photographer for an interview program on German television, photographing some of Europe’s celebrities and film stars, including Alfred Hitchcock, Catherine Deneuve, Brigette Bardot and Klaus Kinski

Then in the early 1970s, Berlin moved from Germany to San Francisco and became a fixture on the streets with his highly suggestive clothing and constant cruising. He collaborated with friend Richard Abel on a 16 mm hard-core porn film entitled Nights in Black Leather (1973) in which he played the lead role for the film , and his poster he created helped make Nights in Black Leather an underground hit.  As a follow-up, Berlin directed, produced, wrote, and starred in That Boy (1974). He also made four short films in the mid- to late-1970s, which were primarily sold as 8 mm “loops” by mail order. His self-portraits were published and sold. He was also the subject of several Robert Mapplethorpe photographs, five drawings by Tom of Finland, and at least one photograph by Andy Warhol.

Berlin’s photographs and artwork have been exhibited around the world, including the exhibition “Split/Vision” (New York, 1986), curated by Mapplethorpe, and in the exhibition “Berlin on Berlin” (2006) at the Leslie Lohman Gallery in New York.  Now its the turn of queer British actor Russell Tovey (The History Boys) who is also something of an art connoisseur and who with Robert Diament co-presents the Talk Art podcast.  It’s about the contemporary art world featuring interviews with artists such as Marina Abramović, Roberta Smith, and Ai Weiwei and makes him so prefect to curate this new Peter Berlin Exhibit.

He began photographing himself in erotic poses and making skin-tight clothes to wear as he cruised the parks and train stations of Berlin, and the streets of Rome, Paris, New York and San Francisco is the first ever exhibition of Berlin’s work in Los Angeles. and Tovey has chosen to show case Berlin’s iconic self-portraits, unique painted photographs, and items from his personal archive including his own clothing designed by Berlin during his years as a self-styled gay icon. 

‘Permission To Stare’ is not just a stunning collection of work, but it also plays a significant part in sharing such an essential period of our queer history.  We need to embrace and celebrate this now more than ever under the threat of this present political climate filled with so much hate.

 

 

Peter Berlin: Permission to StareFebruary 14, 2025 – February 23, 2025Reception: February 18, 6-8pmMARIPOSA GALLERY526 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, California