ringl+pit

presented by Fotografiska New York at Carnegie Hall

February - July 2024

ringl + pit, presented by Fotografiska New York, features the work of artist duo Ellen Auerbach and Grete Stern. Auerbach and Grete met in 1929 in Berlin when the fragility of freedom was omnipresent. They both studied photography with Walter Peterhans, a leader of the Bauhaus Movement, and established an advertising studio called “ringl+pit”. Through their avant-garde collaborations on portraits, advertisements and graphic design they sought to subvert the conventions of gender, politics and social norms. Women are not shown through typical depictions of beauty, but often looking away from the camera, eyes closed or even as mannequins. Compositions are often infused with strange objects, gloves, hats or other objects symbolizing femininity.

After only a few short years together, ringl+pit’s artistic collaboration was cut short. The dangerous and oppressive environment created by the Nazis threatened the lives of these queer, Jewish artists and forced them to close their studio in 1933. They both fled to different countries and were never able to artistically reconnect in such a meaningful way again, though they remained close friends.

All artwork courtesy of Robert Mann Gallery.