Mariposa Gallery presents its inaugural Los Angeles exhibition featuring the photography, art, and personal artifacts of Peter Berlin, an artist who transformed queer self-representation and male eroticism in the 1970s and beyond. The exhibition is curated by actor and host of Talk Art, Russell Tovey, and will showcase Berlin’s self-portraits, unique painted photographs, and items from his personal archive including his own clothing designed by Berlin during his years as a self-styled gay icon. This is the first ever exhibition of Berlin’s work in Los Angeles.
The exhibition offers visitors a rare view into the life and work of an artist whose influence on LGBTQ+ aesthetics endures. Berlin, born Armin Hagen Freiherr von Hoyningen Huene in 1942, gained notoriety for his daring and meticulously crafted self-portraits, often taken in public spaces across Berlin, Paris, New York, and San Francisco. These images capture Berlin in his skin-tight costumes and signature pageboy haircut, boldly challenging the boundaries of masculinity and public identity.
Berlin’s focus on “cruising as career” drew him to create self-portraits that explored male sexuality and queer expression, which appeared on the covers of numerous gay publications, cementing his image as an international gay sex symbol. The exhibition will also feature selections from Berlin’s ’70s and ’80s media presence, capturing the evolution of gay aesthetics in this era.
“Peter Berlin, the fearless and enigmatic, otherworldly icon of 1970s cruise culture, created work that resonates around the world—sparkling, searing, and blazing with vitality. His images burn with eternal desire, offering us the ultimate permission to stare. It’s a privilege to share his groundbreaking art with new and familiar audiences alike. Peter Berlin remains a profoundly significant yet often overlooked figure in the history of art.” – Russell Tovey
Berlin’s influence extended to film, including Nights in Black Leather (1973) and That Boy (1974), both now cult classics. A recent 2019 monograph on his work, Icon, Artist, Photosexual, highlights his impact, featuring insights from Michael Bullock, Evan Moffitt, and Ted Stansfield, each celebrating Berlin’s singular contribution to queer art and culture. Mariposa Gallery invites the public to step into Berlin’s world and experience the legacy of an artist who, through bold self- exploration and defiant artistry, redefined eroticism and individuality in the queer community.
Peter Berlin resides in San Francisco today, where he is still frequently recognized on the sidewalks by his fans. His photographs are represented in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, as part of the Robert Mapplethorpe archive (Mapplethorpe and Sam Wagstaff collected Peter Berlin’s work); in addition to The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Peter Berlin : Permission To Stare
through February 23, 2025
Mariposa Gallery
526 N. Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90004
www.mariposa.gallery
