In the series featured in this exhibition, American artist John Schuetz dedicates himself to the classical genre of the still life—yet with a highly personal touch. All works were created exclusively within his own apartment, which he has transformed into an intimate studio. Instead of opulent symbolism, Schuetz relies on the subtlety of light and nuanced color gradients. The confined setting of the apartment forces him to continually reinvent new perspectives and arrangements.

All photographs were taken solely with a smartphone. In doing so, Schuetz emphasizes the immediacy and accessibility of the medium without sacrificing artistic precision. At the same time, he creates a deliberate contrast: while digital technology allows for infinite reproducibility, he prints each motif physically only once, countering the rapid consumption of digital images.

John Schuetz was born in 1944 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He studied art history, theater studies, humanities, and sculpture in the USA, Berlin, and Strasbourg. In 1971, he moved to Berlin and began working with the medium of photography. His works have been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions, such as the Maerz exhibition “BauHaus” in 1988 or the show “The 20th Century – A Century of Art in Germany” at the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin. His works are included, among others, in the collections of the Berlinische Galerie and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein.

Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus (FkWBH)

The Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus was founded in 1996 as a non-profit association. Since the opening of the Willy-Brandt-Haus, the FkWBH has provided a varied, free program of events at the interface between culture and politics. In addition to the regular exhibitions, readings, discussions and film evenings are also offered to a wide audience.

Thursday, July 2, 2026, 7 pm (admission from 6:30 pm)
Opening reception

Thursday, July 2, 2026, 8:30 pm
Artist talk (de) with Mirja Linnekugel (Artistic Director FkWBH), John Schuetz (Photographer), Gisela Kayser (Independent Curator & former Artistic Director FkWBH).

Please check the FkWBH website for closing days and access regulations before your visit.