"Beyond the Ideal" is an exhibition curated by Felix Ackermann and Elwira Spychalska that is dedicated to the diverse forms in which female bodies are depicted, interpreted, and questioned in photography. In doing so, it offers a fascinating insight into the collection of Felix Ackermann.

Beauty has always been a mirror of societal expectations – changeable, subjective, and often normative. The exhibition counters this with a broad range of perspectives: from intimate self-portraits and staged art photography to documentary photography, it presents nude depictions encompassing a wide variety of ages and body shapes. The body is not understood as a passive object of observation here, but as an expression of identity and self-determination. At the same time, the works illuminate the complex area of tension between photographer, model, and observer, in which concepts of power and intimacy are constantly renegotiated.

The exhibition places a special focus on the formal and technical dimensions of the medium: the juxtaposition of classical processes such as black-and-white photography with alternative techniques, fine art prints, analog experiments, and digital image processing makes it possible to experience how photographic processes actively shape the interpretation of the body through their materiality, coloration, and lighting effects. This creates a polyphonic dialogue that invites the audience to view the image of the female body anew – beyond rigid ideals and towards a physicality as an expression of lived individuality.

On display are 40 images in 15 positions by 10 female and 13 male artists, including works by Brigitte Tast, Aleksandra Leese, Lucana, Lan Bao Vuong, Jo Schwab, and Gerard Malanga.