Emerging Berlin
Benita Suchodrev's exhibition Le bal infernal, which will be on view at Fotografiska Berlin from October 11, 2024 to January 26, 2025, takes you into the beating heart of Berlin's club culture.
Image gallery
Benita Suchodrev: Le bal infernal
Benita Suchodrev: Le bal infernal
Benita Suchodrev: Self Portrait
For more than 30 years, Berlin has been a haven for those seeking freedom and self-realization. The club scene serves not only as a place of escape, but as a gateway to another reality where the dance floor becomes a space of unlimited possibilities - a place where freedom is not just an idea, but a tangible experience.
Benita Suchodrev moved to Berlin in 2008 and was immediately fascinated by the city's nightlife and the diversity of its social groups. She began to capture this special energy with her camera. Her long-term study documents what makes Berlin so unique and features works from her archive as well as new works exhibited for the first time.
Suchodrev works intuitively, often at waist height so as not to disturb the authenticity of the scenes. Through personal approach, she gains the trust of the people she photographs. "To truly enjoy a party, I need my camera," says Suchodrev. For her, each image tells its own story, revealing the untold backgrounds hidden in every fleeting glance and moment.
Her work shows the often crazy and magical side of Berlin's nightlife - from neon flashing lights to the dissolution of the self in the trance of music. Yet behind the facade of the party, deeper aspects of human existence are revealed: the desire for physical and mental freedom.
Suchodrev's exhibition captures the fleeting moments and unique characters that make up the soul of Berlin, and reminds us of the importance of preserving these spaces of self-expression and freedom. For the artist, Fotografiska is the ideal place to showcase these works as it represents Berlin's past, present and future.
About Benita Suchodrev
Benita Suchodrev was born in the former USSR and later immigrated to the USA. She studied art history at SUNY Purchase, New York, and received her master's degree in English literature with honors. In 2008 she moved to Berlin, where she began documenting the city's diverse art scene.
She gained international recognition through her series 48 Hours Blackpool, a haunting socio-cultural study. Her work has been published in numerous publications and exhibited worldwide. Today she lives and works in Berlin and is a member of the FOCUS photo agency.
