ANGGREK
31 July 2026
Villa Bernau, Bern
Followed by an online presentation on Artsy.net/anggrek
Viewing by appointment only, click here to schedule your visit.
Download list of artworks here.
Throughout history, particularly within patriarchal societies, men have often been represented as heroes, rulers, athletes, and symbols of strength. Yet beyond these familiar archetypes lies another reality: men are also capable of tenderness, vulnerability, care, and affection. It is between expectation and lived experience that contemporary understandings of masculinity emerge.
Ways of Looking at Men brings together artists whose works offer distinct perspectives on masculinity, revealing its many forms, contradictions, and possibilities. In a queer context, to look at men is never simply to observe; it is also to recognize, to question, and sometimes to discover ourselves.
The exhibition originated from an invitation by Andy Kunzler to curate a special presentation for his guests gathered at Villa Bernau. Presented for one evening, Ways of Looking at Men continues online through Artsy with additional works, extending these conversations beyond their original setting and into a wider public space.
The title takes inspiration from John Berger's Ways of Seeing, which challenged readers to recognise that images are never neutral but are shaped by who is looking and from what position. Borrowing from this insight, the exhibition invites viewers to consider not only how men are represented, but also how masculinity itself is constructed through acts of looking.
Rather than offering definitive answers, Ways of Looking at Men proposes a space for reflection. What becomes visible when men are approached not as symbols of power, but as subjects of intimacy, self-awareness, vulnerability, and care?