Tribe

Tribe

The photographic work of German-Croatian artist Matthias Dürr explores complex themes of identity, heritage, and belonging. The exhibition highlights the fragile reality of queer visibility: the need for expression and openness alongside the simultaneous need or even pressure to conceal. Dürr depicts a constant play between openness and protection, visibility and invisibility, which continually shape the lives of queer individuals.

Exhibition

The exhibition showcases portraits of members of the LGBTIQ+ community, who still face prejudices and discrimination in Croatian society. Dürr uses traditional Croatian costumes, usually worn according to strict rules (gender, occasion, and social context), and consciously breaks these rules by deconstructing the costumes and swapping male and female clothing items. This visual metaphorical approach emphasizes broader social frameworks that limit identity and expression.

In this way, the artist draws on a long tradition in the history of art of deconstructing symbols deeply rooted in cultural memory, challenging rigid, normative notions of gender, sexuality, and national identity. The exhibition offers reflections on the possibilities of belonging and acceptance in a society that still grapples with its own prejudices. It invites the audience to consider the tension between tradition and personal freedom and initiates a dialogue on how traditions can be questioned with respect while simultaneously serving as a foundation for new, personal narratives.

Matthias Dürr

Matthias Dürr was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where he grew up as a gay boy in a German-Croatian family, with a German father and a mother from Zagreb. After years of professional freelancing, he obtained a degree in visual communication with a focus on photography from Hochschule Darmstadt in 2016. Photography (digital and analog), video, performance, and illustration were his drivers during his studies. His life in Germany was marked by photography and freelancing, and in 2023, he moved to Zagreb with his partner, creatively exploring the connections between heritage, culture, and identity.

Exhibition

The exhibition will be open until September 9, 2025, at @dorcolplatz. We look forward to your visit!