instinct edition #8 _ THE CAT & THE HORSE
For its September 2019 edition, Instinct responds to the exhibition “My Dearest Sweet Love: Christopher Isherwood und Don Bachardy,” shown at Schwules Museum Berlin from June 14 until August 26, 2019. “My Dearest Sweet Love” mostly displays drawings and paintings by Bachardy, documenting his life with Isherwood and their circle of friends.
The “Cat” and the “Horse” are manifestations of the intimacy of the novelist Christopher Isherwood and the painter Don Bachardy’s relationship. In their love letters, these are the names they gave each other, and an animalistic imagery suffuses these letters.
At the same time, Isherwood’s life story has always been one of journey, and this reflects in their relationship as well. Born in England, Isherwood moved to Berlin in 1929 where he experienced a sexual awakening. When the Nazis came into power in 1933, he had to leave Germany and eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he met Bachardy. His Berlin part of the journey, as brief as it was, had an impact on his subsequent life and their mutual relationship.
Berlin is more than ever a transnational queer artistic community, a liberating space where people come to reinvent their life and experience the freedoms the city offers. instinct #8 invites a selection of artists to talk about Berlin, love and liberation.
Thursday September 12
• vernissage 6pm
• Gareth Ernst will be doing a performance drawing, based on the drawings Don Bachardy did of him, using live undraped models.
Friday September 13
• open to the public 2pm to 8pm
Saturday September 14
• open to the public 2pm to 8pm
• performance by Shiaz Legz
Sunday September 15
• open to the public 2pm to 8pm
• Artist Talk, 5 pm (list of the artists to be confirmed)
Viewing also by appointment:
+49 174 33 255 33
instinct at village.berlin