A Retrospective
The Swiss-American photographer Vera Mercer (*1936 in Berlin) initially trained as a dancer before turning to photographing objects, portraits and neo-baroque still lifes. Initially living in Paris and later in Omaha, Nebraska, Vera Mercer immersed herself in the vibrant art scenes of numerous metropolises from the late 1950s onwards.
Image gallery
Schriftzug Ausstellung - mehrere Sprachen
In 1958, she married the Swiss object and EatArt artist Daniel Spoerri (1930-2024), from whom she separated after a few years. Since then, Mercer has worked continuously with photography and quickly became known as a portraitist in particular. She produced photo reportages on Marcel Duchamp, Samuel Beckett and Andy Warhol as well as documentary photos for Eva Aeppli, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, with which she achieved great recognition. From the 1990s she also created murals for restaurants and hotels in Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong. Together with her second husband Mark Mercer (1943-2019), she is also active as a restaurateur herself. Her detailed still lifes masterfully showcase nature and cultural artefacts and are exhibited internationally.
For the exhibition at ZAK, Vera Mercer gave photo historian and journalist Jens Pepper access to her extensive archive in Omaha in 2024. This enabled numerous early portrait works to be scanned and prepared for the exhibition.
Curator: Jens Pepper
Additional information
Price info: Every 1st Sunday of the month is Citadel Sunday and admission is free .
Except on October 5, 2025, due to the Juggler Festival from October 3 to 5.
During this time, only the Commander's House, the Julius Tower, and the Drill Hall will be open.
The organizer's admission prices apply: carnica-spectaculi
Price: €4.50
Reduced price: €2.50
Reduced price info: Pupils - children aged 6-14 - students - trainees - people who receive transfer benefits (ALG II, social welfare, benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act) - GdB 50, MdE on presentation of the relevant ID.
Public guided tours of Spandau Citadel
every Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
€4.50 per person plus Citadel ticket
(on the last Saturday of the month, the tour goes through the exhibition "Unveiled. Berlin and its monuments")
Except on October 5, 2025, due to the Juggler Festival from October 3 to 5.
During this time, only the Commander's House, the Julius Tower, and the Drill Hall will be open.
The organizer's admission prices apply: carnica-spectaculi
Price: €4.50
Reduced price: €2.50
Reduced price info: Pupils - children aged 6-14 - students - trainees - people who receive transfer benefits (ALG II, social welfare, benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act) - GdB 50, MdE on presentation of the relevant ID.
Public guided tours of Spandau Citadel
every Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
€4.50 per person plus Citadel ticket
(on the last Saturday of the month, the tour goes through the exhibition "Unveiled. Berlin and its monuments")
