'Cruising the Countryside' Explores Rural Queer Life at Schwules Museum

The Schwules Museum in Berlin is hosting an exhibition titled 'Cruising the Countryside – Rural Queer Lives,' which will be open from May 1 to November 2, 2026. This display explores queer communities in rural Germany through a variety of archival materials, contemporary art, and documentary films. Curated with a focus on research, the exhibition includes queer publications, zines, and items such as a 2003 Xerox print by Uferlos e.V. and the lesbian pulp novel 'The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories.' Artwork by Pancho Assoluto portrays young queer individuals in serene landscapes, contrasting with the DIY style typical of queer media. Documentaries feature TIN youth facing discrimination, Therese Koppe's film about Kunsthof Lietzen—an art farm in Brandenburg operated by lesbian couple Erika Stürmer-Alex and Christine Müller-Stosch—and a film on the Women's Resistance Camp in Hunsrück's anti-war efforts from the 1980s to 1990s. The Rabelades Farm Collective, a Black, queer-led farming initiative in Brandenburg, reclaims rural spaces for liberation and eco-justice. Everyday items like bandanas and carabiners represent coded queer communication beyond Berlin. This exhibition highlights the significance of community amidst the challenges posed by rising right-wing politics and economic hardships for rural queer youth and elders.