Torso Reloaded @HAZEGALLERY, Berlin
1 – 29 October 2022
The solo exhibition Torso Reloaded by Nadine Dinter opened at HAZEGALLERY in Berlin on 1 October 2022. Dinter developed the concept in 2012 while working with New York photographer Christopher Makos, a long-time companion of Andy Warhol. For his exhibition Andy Dandy and Other Works, which Nadine Dinter curated at galerie hiltawsky, Makos traveled with, among others, former erotic art model and current tattoo artist Benjamin Godfre, who turned out to be a passionate Warhol fan. Dinter and Godfre spontaneously decided to photographically recreate Warhol’s legendary Torso series from 1977.
Exactly ten years later, the photographer has taken up the idea once again. While Warhol’s spirit continues to be the inspiration, Dinter’s latest project shines the spotlight on the different body types of the current generation of men.
Alongside the first torso she photographed, of Benjamin Godfre, her images portray six representative men – from the professional model Benjamin Kühnemund and the photographer Traegi to a wrestler, a fitness instructor, a computer scientist, and fellow photographer Alexander Schuktuew. While Warhol mainly photographed the front and back of male models in a tight close-up shot, Nadine Dinter’s wider framing gives them more space, adding impact to individual characteristics such as tattoos, scars, and musculature. As a result, the bodies seem close enough to touch without being overtly sexualized. These contemplative body shots were taken in an intimate hotel atmosphere using only natural lighting between January and April 2022. Each picture tells its own story, transforming the bare image into a unique photographic profile.
The exhibition Torso Reloaded also addresses the female gaze on the male body, while documenting the photographer’s exploration of the body cult in contemporary society. All of the images from 2022 were taken with a Leica SL2.
About the photographer: Nadine Dinter started working as a photographer in 1991, initially focusing on images of sculptures and portraiture. Her first exhibition was in 1998 at Schering AG. Further presentations of her photographic works in Berlin and New York followed: Project Angel + Project Angel Reloaded (2001, NYC), Essence of Winter (2002, NYC), In the Eye of the Beholder (2004, Berlin), and Janus-Faced (2013, Berlin). From 2006 she worked as a freelance photographer for various publications. She has been represented by akg-images since 2000. More information: @dinterphotography
About the gallery: HAZEGALLERY was founded in 2019 with the mission of sharing Berlin’s young contemporary art scene with the world through exhibitions, pop-up shows, and art gatherings.