Galerie Oben and Clara Mosch
Künstlerische Freiräume in Karl-Marx-Stadt
In opposition to the official cultural scene in the GDR, a hotspot of the alternative art scene developed in Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz) in the early 1970s. With the Galerie Oben and the artists’ group Clara Mosch (1977–1982), which also ran an artists’ cooperative gallery, the city had two institutions that attracted art lovers from all over the country with their unconventional exhibition programme, actions and events. At the same time, these venues served as platforms for artists who were not recognised as such by the state. It was here that they were given their first exhibition opportunities within the unofficial scene.
The exhibition uses many original documents, photographs, posters, postcards and letters to tell the story of the two galleries and bring them back to life. Changing monthly presentations introduce artists who were present at the gallery between 1973 and 1990, allowing visitors to experience a wide range of artistic trends from this period. In addition, the so-called »Wednesday Events« at Galerie Oben will be revived in the form of artist talks, lectures, readings and film screenings, inviting visitors to engage in a dialogue with the artists of the period.
