ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Martin Dammann's Exhibition Abstieg and Book Soldier Studies Explore Archives and Ambiguity

exhibition · 2026-04-23

From December 8, 2018, to February 2, 2019, Martin Dammann's exhibition titled Abstieg was held at In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc. This showcase included works in watercolor, drawing, photography, video, and installations, all centered around themes of water and reflection. At the same time, he released a 128-page book, Soldier Studies: Cross-Dressing in the Wehrmacht, published by Hatje Cantz for 28 euros. This book contains approximately 300 archival images of German soldiers in cross-dressing situations during WWII. Dammann views his artistic endeavors as a form of research, aiming to reinterpret historical remnants. He highlighted the importance of ambiguity and challenging clichés in historical storytelling. His 2017 exhibition, Kein schöner Land, also examined colonial-era albums. Featured on the article's cover is his 2018 piece Aus Wasser, im Wasser, in Wasser, which measures 195 x 420 cm.

Key facts

  • Martin Dammann's exhibition Abstieg was held at In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc gallery from December 8, 2018, to February 2, 2019.
  • The book Soldier Studies: Cross-Dressing in the Wehrmacht was published by Hatje Cantz in 2018, containing 128 pages and costing 28 euros.
  • Dammann works across mediums including watercolor, drawing, photography, video, and installation.
  • He focuses on private archival photographs, particularly from World Wars, to explore themes of war, identity, and historical ambiguity.
  • The exhibition Abstieg featured water motifs and mirroring, inspired by the gallery's two-level architecture.
  • Dammann's 2017 exhibition Kein schöner Land at gallery Barbara Thumm in Berlin examined colonial-era private albums from Papua New Guinea and Africa.
  • He describes his artistic practice as research-based, aiming to decrypt traces of past events for emotional accuracy.
  • Large-format watercolors are used to challenge traditional perceptions of the medium, with sizes tailored to each subject.

Entities

Artists

  • Martin Dammann
  • Sylvie Arnaud

Institutions

  • In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc
  • Hatje Cantz
  • gallery Barbara Thumm
  • artpress

Locations

  • Berlin
  • Germany
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Africa
  • France

Sources