Exhibition Index: Bethanien 2026

02.04.2026 – 05.04.2026 | Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin

0. A journal page from Charles Darwin, written during his circumnavigation on the HMS Beagle. Held in

the Cambridge University Library archives, this document marks a pivotal shift in scientific thought

toward the theory of evolution and natural selection.

1. A Gynandromorph butterfly specimen. Beyond traditional binary narratives, biology reveals a vast

spectrum of "queer" identities and sexual fluidity. This area of research, highlighted in the "Queering

Nature" tours at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, challenges centuries of anthropocentric

classification.

2. Six fishes sourced from six different European markets. The documentation illustrates how plastic

overproduction and the lack of unified waste management have altered aquatic life. The presence of

microplastics in their tissues makes finding a "plastic-free" organism nearly impossible in the modern

era.

3. The Tafi Atome Sanctuary in Ghana. A model of radical cohabitation without physical barriers. Here,

the village lives in harmony with Mona Monkeys and Pangolins, species protected by ancient sacred

traditions rather than fences.

4. A section of aquarium glass, typically acrylic, with a thickness between 10cm and 30cm. The immense

production costs of these structures are necessary to withstand hydrostatic pressure and prevent the

artificial ecosystem from collapsing.

5. In Europe, only one truly wild horse species remains: the Przewalski’s horse. Other free-roaming

populations are technically feral, descendants of domestic animals that struggle to fully rewild and often

remain dependent on human intervention for survival.

6. Germany produces approximately 15 billion eggs annually. This image documents a system

transitioning away from the historical mass culling of male chicks toward ethical in-ovo sexing

technologies.

7. A Bearded Dragon pet, equipped with a Batman-shaped leash. A reflection on the domestication of

reptiles and the human attempt to integrate exotic biology into the domestic and urban routine.

8. An analysis of the egg as an unfertilized ovum. Stripped of its culinary context, the egg represents

the "menstruation" of the chicken: a repetitive biological cycle that serves as the raw origin of life.

9. A butterfly prepared for macro-photographic documentation. Contemporary digital archiving allows

for the precise study of morphology and DNA without the need to further handle or damage fragile

physical specimens.

10. A starfish adhered to a glass wall. In their natural habitat, these organisms are exceptionally

vulnerable; the oils and bacteria from human skin can obstruct their water vascular system, leading to

death by suffocation.

11. Jellyfish cultivation at the Oceanogràfic in Valencia. The specimens are maintained in specialized

circular tanks called Kreisels, where a constant flow prevents them from settling on the bottom or

sustaining structural damage.

12. A road evolution could have taken, instead of calling it "malformation".

13. Award-winning taxidermy from the German Taxidermy Championships.

14. Snakes are almost entirely deaf to airborne sound. The illusion of "snake charming" is actually a

reaction of the Rainbow Boa to the visual movement of the flute. Here, the animal roams a living room,

following the visual tension of the instruments.

15. At the Agbogbloshie landfill in Accra, cowboys lead cattle to the summits of hills composed of

European textile waste and plastic. The animals are brought to these heights in the morning to breathe

air situated above the toxic fumes of burning electronics.

16. The organization of livestock grazing areas within the Agbogbloshie landfill site. A tragic blurring of

the lines between the food chain and industrial refuse.

17. A farmer in Agbogbloshie feeds his livestock clean fodder. This act of resistance aims to prevent the

animals from consuming the surrounding soil, which is saturated with lead, toxins, and plastic.

18. Following a conflict, two young horsemen look out toward the Atlantic Ocean in Accra. Their gaze

reflects a desire for a future defined by environmental dignity, hoping to move beyond the tourist

trades inherited from previous generations.

19–21. High-level physics and raw nature coexist within the same coordinates. Scientists are

repopulating this almost extinct species, utilizing the grounds of the particle accelerator as a protected

reserve.

22. A son of the owner of the crocodile site in Ada, Ghana. Standing by a concrete pit, his presence

highlights a generational conflict: the desire for a more humane life for the animals versus the

economic necessity of a family business.