Exhibition Review: Anders Petersen: Color Lehmitz

Lily Rosen, Color Lehmitz © Andersen Petersen

Blurring the line between the ordinary and the unconventional, Anders Petersen offers viewers an unfettered view into Germany in the late 1960s with an unmatched level of intimacy and exploration in Color Lehmitz.

Sailor, Color Lehmitz © Anders Petersen

Café Lehmitz was a bar in Hamburg’s notorious red-light district, an oasis amid dozens of brothels. People on the fringes of society — prostitutes, thieves, pimps and transvestites — flocked to the bar to kick back and blow off steam. Everyone was welcome.

Peterson transports us back to the bar through his photography. The liveliness of the diverse surroundings and the deep sense of culture hypnotizes us through a vibrant prism of color, allowing us to fully submit to the exuberant energy. Petersen celebrates human connection, weaving a story that is both timelessly explicit and unequivocally moving. He shows his subjects for who they are. The primary colors replicate the boldness of their lives and invite us to hear their stories. Petersen throws aside barriers and connects with his subjects in a way that transcends language, culture and class. Petersen’s intimate creative process shines through in this exhibition. Handwritten notes on contact sheets add depth to the narrative, and added color provocatively brings black-and-white photographs to life. Warmth emanates from Café Lehmitz, and Petersen invites us to share in it. Color Lehmitz is on view at Fotografiska in New York until March 6, 2022.

Marlene, Color Lehmitz © Anders Petersen