Bertolt Brecht's collages shown for the first time in London

For the first time, Bertolt Brecht's collages were exhibited in London at Raven Raw gallery in the show 'Brecht: Fragments', running summer 2024. Curated by Phoebe von Held in collaboration with Tom Kuhn, Alex Sainsbury, and Iliane Thiemann, the exhibition drew on original material from the Brecht Archive in Berlin, including manuscripts, set designs, archival films, and photographs. Brecht (Augsburg, 1898 – Berlin, 1956) cut and rearranged visual material from newspapers, packaging, and labels as part of a visual research practice that informed his theater. His interest in image circulation spanned medieval paintings, Chinese theater, contemporary clothing, and social and political events. The exhibition highlighted his methodology centered on the fragment and collage, as well as the 'Verfremdungseffekt' (alienation effect). It contextualized his work within the Weimar Republic, Nazism, and the post-war period, emphasizing his critique of capitalism and Marxist philosophy. Side events included film screenings, theatrical readings, and expert discussions.