Clay Bodies — Harry Hachmeister

Jan – Jun 2025
Between Bridges Residency Space, Berlin

Clay Bodies & Gym Buddies is a project that brings together diverse realms of experience: art intersects with sport, everyday items become art objects, and the lines between hobby and profession blur. It originated during the Between Bridges Residency, where the central location and expansive setting inspired Harry Hachmeister to reimagine the space not solely for personal use, but as a shared, communal environment. The outcome is a hybrid venue that simultaneouslyserves as a gym, ceramics workshop, artist's studio, and storefront.

At the heart of the project is the idea of a safe, empowering space for trans*, inter, and non-binary (TIN*) people. Open and free training sessions are offered three days a week-an offering that goes beyond traditional fitness by fostering both physical and social engagement. For Hachmeister, the act of shaping is a shared principle in both working with clay and physical training. These two practices- artistic and physical -intertwine, blurring the boundaries betweenart and movement, studio work and everyday life. The layers also merge on a design level: subtly placed ceramic objects within the fitness context extend the exhibition beyond the storefront. Under the title Harry's Haushaltswaren ("Harry's Household Goods"), Hachmeister presents ceramic everyday items -from egg cups to onion pots. Previously circulated only in private settings, these objects are now publicly visible and available for purchase. The storefront becomes the stage for a thoughtfully conceived retail concept: complete with price tags, LED lighting, and intentionally mundane offerings. The proceeds during Gallery Weekend Berlin went to three Berlin-based initiatives that support trans*,inter, and queer communities: TransinterQueer e.V., Casa Kua, and Trans Sexworks.