The Leatherman
With “The Leatherman,” the Kölnischer Kunstverein presents an exhibition exploring the afterlife of a play, queer memory culture, and the visual worlds of a vanished social scene. The exhibition runs from September 4 to November 29, 2026, and was curated by Kévin Blinderman, Pierre-Alexandre Mateos, and Charles Teyssou.
What remains of a theatrical event once the performance itself has long since faded away: costumes, photographs, scripts, stage props, television recordings, rare ephemera, memories, and rumors.
The starting point is the theatrical adaptation “The Leatherman,” which premiered in 1979 at the Théâtre du Lucernaire in Paris, directed by Peter Chatel. The play is based on the book “Der Ledermann spricht mit Hubert Fichte” (The Leatherman Speaks with Hubert Fichte), which Hubert Fichte published together with Hans Eppendorfer. Blurring the lines between literary interview, self-invention, ethnography, and performance, the result is a narrative in which Hamburg, St. Pauli, and the leather scene of the 1970s become atmospheric protagonists.
A key focal point of the exhibition is a leather costume designed by Karl Lagerfeld in 1978 for Peter Chatel’s theatrical adaptation. While the play itself had nearly fallen into oblivion, the costume has been preserved as a trace and, in the exhibition, becomes part of a larger narrative about fashion, theater, queer identity, and cultural heritage.
“The Leatherman” transports viewers into a world of harbor atmosphere, nightlife, leather aesthetics, subculture, and memory, revealing how social spaces, rituals, and body images continue to exert an influence—even as many places of queer life have disappeared and historical networks were severed by the AIDS crisis.
On view are works and materials by Leonore Mau, Reba Maybury, Dean Sameshima, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Herbert Tobias.
What remains of a theatrical event once the performance itself has long since faded away: costumes, photographs, scripts, stage props, television recordings, rare ephemera, memories, and rumors.
The starting point is the theatrical adaptation “The Leatherman,” which premiered in 1979 at the Théâtre du Lucernaire in Paris, directed by Peter Chatel. The play is based on the book “Der Ledermann spricht mit Hubert Fichte” (The Leatherman Speaks with Hubert Fichte), which Hubert Fichte published together with Hans Eppendorfer. Blurring the lines between literary interview, self-invention, ethnography, and performance, the result is a narrative in which Hamburg, St. Pauli, and the leather scene of the 1970s become atmospheric protagonists.
A key focal point of the exhibition is a leather costume designed by Karl Lagerfeld in 1978 for Peter Chatel’s theatrical adaptation. While the play itself had nearly fallen into oblivion, the costume has been preserved as a trace and, in the exhibition, becomes part of a larger narrative about fashion, theater, queer identity, and cultural heritage.
“The Leatherman” transports viewers into a world of harbor atmosphere, nightlife, leather aesthetics, subculture, and memory, revealing how social spaces, rituals, and body images continue to exert an influence—even as many places of queer life have disappeared and historical networks were severed by the AIDS crisis.
On view are works and materials by Leonore Mau, Reba Maybury, Dean Sameshima, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Herbert Tobias.
Dates
Good to know
Payment methods
- Entrance Free
Eligibility
Bad Weather Offer
Suitable for any Weather
Target Group Adult
for Groups
for individual guests
