Money makes the world go round, especially in art. Very few artists are able to make a living from their art alone. Mediocre day jobs are often the only financial support for artistic practice. At the same time, the art world can feel like a bubble where everyone seems to have money. Amid dwindling funding across Berlin’s cultural landscape, Julie Legouez and Evelina Reiter are opening the next edition of their exhibition series Fight or Flight tonight (12.06.2025). The theme is money. 33 FINT* (women, inter, non-binary and trans) artists will present their work. “Fight or flight” is a term from biology that describes the body’s stress response in dangerous situations. It prepares us to react by fighting the threat or fleeing from it. For the two curators, it’s a broader metaphor for the stress many people carry: especially women*, artists, and anyone living with systemic pressure. That’s why they invite a lot of people to their shows. After all, networks don’t form on their own, they have to be built.
In 2022, Julie Legouez started an exhibition by inviting five artists from her network and five strangers via Instagram. One of them was Evelina Reiter. That exchange became a collaboration, and today, they curate together through open calls. An Exhibition About Money is the second in the series. Last year’s debut focused on fear — and few shows have left such a lasting emotional impression. I saw too much of myself in works about panic walking home at night, partner violence, and catcalling. This time, too, it’s about lived realities: poverty and social background, side jobs and the frustration of applying for support, the gender pay gap, family roles, classism, psychological strain, rent, subsidies, fear, and anger. Just like last time, a strong supporting program is even more reason to visit — from a K-Pop concert with Mizi Lee to workshops, readings, and an auction on 19.06. (bring cash). Let’s talk about money.
Text: Inga Krumme / Credit: Karo Kuchar, Kunstdokumentation; Dana Lorenz, VG Bild-Kunst Bonn; Julie Legouez, VG Bild-Kunst Bonn
Stadtwerkstatt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mehringdamm 20, 10961 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
@fightorflight.berlin
