Stories
Published on 28.08.2023
“Visible Love”
Christian Ruess is the visionary and director of the award-winning platform "Container Love". which is dedicated to promoting identities and showcasing queer culture. He takes an intersectional approach and celebrates the full spectrum of diversity and contemporary lifestyles with "Container Love" through various media, including art, fashion and beauty. At POP KUDAMM, he and his team "Visible Love" curated a film and photo exhibition of international artists* in which "Container Love" draws on their international network of creative partners* and presents the expertise of integrating diversity, inclusion and queer lifestyle. We interviewed him on the occasion of the exhibition.
Pop Kudamm:You are the director of the "Container Love" platform. How did the platform come into being? What prompted you to launch this platform?
Christian Ruess:For me, Container Love is something very personal. Ten years ago, the world looked different for queer people than we experience it today in Berlin. Many countries passed laws that made queer life impossible. Friends disappeared, there was a lot of violence. Homophobia was on the rise - not only in Russia and many other countries of the former Eastern Bloc, but also in many parts of Africa, things were getting worse for the LGBTQIA+ community. And of course Germany is not a prime example when it comes to tolerance and equality.
At the time, I was working for a music festival with about a hundred thousand visitors per summer. And I asked myself what we could do to raise awareness, to educate, to support - to create a community that would fight back. So we decided to organise exhibitions with international queer artists and open a door.
Container Love is now celebrating its tenth anniversary and we have achieved a lot over the years - but the world is experiencing a new wave of homophobia and transphobia, so we just have to be louder.
At the time, I was working for a music festival with about a hundred thousand visitors per summer. And I asked myself what we could do to raise awareness, to educate, to support - to create a community that would fight back. So we decided to organise exhibitions with international queer artists and open a door.
Container Love is now celebrating its tenth anniversary and we have achieved a lot over the years - but the world is experiencing a new wave of homophobia and transphobia, so we just have to be louder.
Pop Kudamm:Why the name "Container Love"?
Christian Ruess:The first exhibition of "Container Love" took place in a container. The theme of the exhibition was love - the diversity of love. So it was obvious to call the exhibition th
Pop Kudamm:POP KUDAMM is currently hosting the exhibition "Visible Love", in which you are exhibiting over twenty film and photo artists. You have a huge network. What was particularly important to you when selecting the works?
Christian Ruess:"Visible Love" is now taking place for the third time. The idea was born at the beginning of Corona, when the clubs had to close. The safe spaces disappeared, places where everyone could be whoever he or she wanted to be. So what could we do? We organised exhibitions where we queer people had to be noticed. Not in galleries or museums, but in the streets, in shops, in big windows. Hence the name of the exhibition.
For us, visibility is only the beginning, a door opener - as I said at the beginning. People have to go through the door themselves and discover the diversity. That's exactly what's important to us when curating the images - showing diversity.
For us, visibility is only the beginning, a door opener - as I said at the beginning. People have to go through the door themselves and discover the diversity. That's exactly what's important to us when curating the images - showing diversity.
Pop Kudamm:What attracted you to present the exhibition at a place like POP KUDAMM?
Christian Ruess:What could be more natural than to go back to where we started with "Container Love"? Into a container. The biggest one Berlin has to offer. Best decision ever.
Pop Kudamm:What have been your biggest successes in terms of visibility and inclusion of queerness?
Christian Ruess:One of our biggest successes is definitely our current film "The Hidden Dimension", with which we are running at international film festivals. Our films and series are a counterpoint to the many pink-washing campaigns of many brands. We have won several awards with the film and I hope there will be more to come.
Pop Kudamm:What is the queer future dream of "Container Love"?
Christian Ruess:That at some point we can stop fighting and start celebrating.
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