Christian Stemmler's works
A collection of works by Christian Stemmler, a German stylist, fashion editor, and art director based in Milan and Berlin.
The artist left home at the age of 17, dropped out of school, and settled in illegal areas. He then found work in a club and began taking photographs. This happened in Berlin in the 1990s, about 30 years ago. There have not been many opportunities to see photographs from that time until now. Now that everything is shared, the artist has created a book to take readers back to that time.
This book is a personal visual history of East Berlin's transformation into a creative playground after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's a book about alternative lifestyles, a look at interiors and architecture from that time, and a photo collection documenting a much-lost freedom. Set in 2025, the book seems liberated from phones, social media, and Zoom video calls. People have more time to experience and learn by going outside, meeting people, and dancing.
"We were so curious. We craved adventure. We wanted to dance, hug, scream. We never wanted the party to end. Little did we know that the way we lived and clubbed would inspire so many people and become a blueprint for how people would party for decades to come. In the last few years before the internet era, it felt like both the peak of a subculture and the beginning of its end. It's an adventure that now seems like an insanely beautiful indie film."
- Christian Stemmler
Now the author works as a stylist, fashion editor, and art director, so it's no surprise that this book can serve as an important reference for 1990s Euro fashion and hairstyles.
"There was a party almost every day. We were at the club from Friday to Sunday, and in between we'd chill out and go to after-parties or post-after-parties at people's houses. But there were parties on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays too."
The artist's classic black-and-white portrait on the back cover may or may not have been inspired by the cover of a Joan Didion collection. Making this book inspired the artist to pick up her camera and take photographs again. This is just the beginning.
[Specifications/Details]
・Publisher: IDEA (2025)
・Number of pages: 224 pages
Size: 220x270mm
·Softcover
*Due to the nature of printing, binding, and paper, this book may be bent or dirty. Please note that this does not mean the product is defective.
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