SHERIDAN, WYOMING – August 19, 2025 – American-born choreographer and artist Meg Stuart is bringing a fresh layer of depth to Berlin’s art scene this fall with What Holds Us, a video-based exhibition opening September 7 at EBENSPERGER Gallery. Known worldwide for her unconventional approach to dance and performance, Stuart invites audiences to experience the moving body not just as an artistic subject, but as a living conversation between space, presence, and imagination.
Unfolding Presence in a Historic Space
Unlike traditional dance staged in theaters, What Holds Us takes place inside the Fichtebunker, a striking Berlin landmark steeped in political history. The venue itself becomes part of the performance, its heavy architecture echoing and amplifying Stuart’s choreographic explorations. The videos transport viewers to desolate landscapes, decaying brutalist structures, and strangely familiar yet uncanny environments, where the body is both vulnerable and powerful.
This layering of movement and setting creates a dialogue about how people shape, and are shaped by, the world around them. Rather than focusing on spectacle, Stuart highlights quiet gestures, fleeting emotions, and the subtle ways presence lingers in absence.
Highlights from the Video Works
- The way down (2025): A poetic short film that stages an intimate encounter between two people, touching on choice, surrender, and the resilience of beginning again.
- Ripples (2021): Dancers glide through shallow water, their movements creating circular echoes that dissolve boundaries between self and environment. The piece suggests a meditative flow of communication and interconnection.
- Portraits (2008–2025): A series of filmed portraits inspired by early performance art, where the face becomes a site of both exposure and concealment. Emotions flicker and identities shift, asking the audience to reconsider how much of “presence” is ever truly visible.
Each work connects physical movement to natural and symbolic elements like earth, water, or the gaze, creating spaces where viewers can reflect on their own role as both observer and participant.
Why This Matters for Everyday Viewers
While contemporary dance can feel abstract, Stuart’s work carries a relatable message: our bodies are constantly negotiating with the spaces we inhabit. Just as we adjust to city streets, crowded offices, or the stillness of nature, her performers reveal the quiet choreography of daily life.
For Berliners and visitors, this exhibition offers a unique way to experience art beyond paintings and sculptures. Instead of standing before static objects, audiences are drawn into fluid, evolving encounters that blur the lines between watching and participating.
A Different Kind of Gallery Experience
Walking through What Holds Us feels less like viewing an art show and more like stepping into a living, breathing landscape. EBENSPERGER’s labyrinth-like setting amplifies the sensation of discovery, each corner revealing new layers of intimacy and imagination.
Unlike blockbuster museum shows, this exhibition doesn’t overwhelm with size or noise. Instead, it rewards close attention — the way a whisper can sometimes say more than a shout.
Editorial Extra – Quick Benefit List for Visitors
- Immersive storytelling: Explore videos that blend dance, landscape, and architecture.
- Historic setting: Experience art inside Berlin’s iconic Fichtebunker.
- Fresh perspective: See everyday gestures reimagined as meaningful choreography.
- Reflective journey: Walk away with new ways of thinking about presence and absence.
- Global artistry: Connect with one of contemporary dance’s most innovative voices.
Exhibition Details
- Title: What Holds Us
- Artist: Meg Stuart
- Opening: Sunday, September 7, 2025, 4–9pm
- Dates: September 8 – October 25, 2025
- Venue: EBENSPERGER Gallery, Fichtebunker, Fichtestraße 6, 10967 Berlin
For those curious about how art can transform not just space but also the way we see ourselves, What Holds Us promises a rare, deeply personal encounter. Learn more at ebenpsperger.net.