by Mia Butter, studio photos by Ryan Molnar // Apr. 25, 2025
If you have been to Gropius Bau recently, you may have seen Vaginal Davis’s studio. Not directly, but the sheer curtains and ad hoc images strung across clothes lines in her new solo show are straight out of her studio’s interior design. The Los Angeles-born and raised Ms. Davis has been in Berlin for 20 years now, and her first comprehensive exhibition in Germany marks the occasion. From zine-making and performance to film and painting, the exhibition ‘Fabelhaftes Produkt’ at Gropius Bau presents an overview of the artist’s career from the early 1980s to the present day. Visiting her studio feels like an extension of the show. A desk full of nail polish and cutouts of “hunky” young men, magazine and image clippings plastered across every wall, and several photos of Barbra Streisand throughout the ages–Ms. Davis is a self-proclaimed hoarder, and punchy pics are her vice.
None of the space in Davis’ studio has gone to waste. There is a desk and a chair, where she paints, a massage chair for midday naps (Davis gets up at 5AM) and the remaining books, zines and artworks are placed on the floor or shelves near the wall. There is a certain order to the chaos, with said “chaos” mainly present on the walls–posters from events and happenings, her own and those of others, meet printed photographs of men and, of course, “Babs.” Her studio is incredibly potent, so rich with what was and what is, like a mood board visualizing every thought or source of inspiration. An array of multicolored nail polishes adorn the tabletop, recycled yoghurt jars house felt tip markers and other tools; a bottle of craft glue and some costume makeup remind me of an extensive material list of one of Davis’ pieces at the Gropius Bau. The workspace itself feels quite small, not unlike her paintings, which range from matchbox to postcard format. While discussing her paintings, she mentions that the nail polish and makeup left in the studio represent just a fraction of what she still has at the museum. They were left behind from her elaborate site-specific additions to the wall, created for ‘Fabelhaftes Produkt.’
Despite the building’s historical significance—inaugurated in 1881 and designed by famous architect Martin Gropius—Davis and her collaborator, Jonathan Berger, were given the opportunity to work directly on the walls of Gropius Bau. Various characters from the Oz series make an appearance, from Billina the chicken to The Tin Man. “The Oz series was like the Harry Potter of the turn of the last century, which a lot of people don’t realize–they don’t know about the other books. It’s a series,” she elaborates. Her fascination with the series began as a child, having read the books and having been particularly intrigued by the character Tippetarius, who Davis recalls as a transgender character. A self-proclaimed overachiever, Davis’ passion for Oz led her to adapt the series to her own history and perform it at school.
Davis comes to her studio in eastern Berlin around seven in the morning, and frequently leaves in the afternoon, before some of her studio mates have even started their day’s work. The massage table in the corner is barely separated from her workspace, veiled by thin, translucent fabric. The table is put to good use as a siesta spot, particularly during the long days leading up to the opening. While visually quite different, I couldn’t help but draw a connection to ‘The Wicked Pavillion: A Tween Bedroom,’ one of Davis’ installations at Gropius Bau. A replica of Davis’ own bedroom, images of icons and magazine cut-outs are strung across the room like a banner and nail polish adorns a bedside table–the massive phallus sculpture is missing here, however–but the humour prevails.
Her recent 500-page zine ‘Middlesex,’ bound with silver page borders, may be more sophisticated in its production than her previous publications, but the patchwork spirit from her original zines is still extremely present on each page. Visitors to the exhibition can flip through the new publication, gently placed on pillows, while previous “Xerox” projects, such as the famous ‘Fertile LaToyah Jackson’ zine, among others, are available to be photocopied via a photocopier set up in the exhibition room. “I have been doing the same thing for the past 40 years, I’m not reinventing the wheel,” Davis explains, and perhaps that is to her benefit. The purpose of many of her zines was, and remains, to distribute information or ideas for free or very little money. To do so, production costs had to be low, and ultimately resulted in a visual language associated with the practice. ‘Fertile LaToyah Jackson’ was photocopied and stapled together, then distributed by Davis to friends and others she came across. Now, 30 years later, a similar concept is recreated in a German institution.
After Ms. Davis imparted some Old Hollywood film recommendations to us and we discussed everything from voyeurism to the best restaurants in Berlin, we left her studio. Ms. Davis sent us off with a wave and an air kiss. Perhaps the most impressive part about what she does is her unwavering authenticity. Her studio is a patchwork of her work, thoughts, whims and impulses over the past decades. Her candor is refreshing, and her infectious personality permeates every word and gesture. I have rarely met a more multifaceted person, an innovator and a technophobe, curious and yet so comfortable in her ways. Vaginal Davis may not feel the need to reinvent the wheel, but she does it time and time again.
Exhibition Info
Gropius Bau
Vaginal Davis: ‘Fabelhaftes Produkt
Exhibition: Mar. 21-Sept. 14, 2025
berlinerfestspiele.de
Niederkirchnerstraße 7, 10963 Berlin, click here for map
