Perhaps at the end of this tour through the history of surveillance, the watchers, and the watched, all that remains is to put it into poetic words: In the summer of 1980, pasts and futures emerged from the shadows into the public eye. Just as the topic of “surveillance” emerged from the shadows into the light, we step out of the catacombs of the restroom—where gay sex and its surveillance had been confined until 1980—and up to street level. Here, in the daylight and in public, we can talk to one another about what we have seen, we can discuss, we can try to trace the ruptures and changes of the past decades, we can resolve to share the pain and also the joy.

The questions arise:

  • What has become visible by shattering the mirrors?
  • What has remained hidden?
  • And also: What feelings and moments had to be concealed upon entering the public sphere?

Looking at the present, the questions arise as to who, in the here and now, is affected by similar systems of control by the police and society. Which people are regularly checked at train stations? To whom is it being shown that they are not allowed to move freely, but rather do not fulfill the “purpose” of these spaces? Who is treated as “different” or “special” based on attributed characteristics? What consequences does this “coming into view” have for everyday life?

Anyone interested in the conditions under which people become visible in current public spaces such as social media will be pleased to attend the »SPIEGEL PANEL« on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM, featuring Shahrzad Golab, Dr. Vera Klocke, and Luna Möbius. Moderated by René Scharr, journalist Shahrzad Golab will share insights from her research on Palantir and technical surveillance today; Vera Klocke will discuss her research on staging strategies on TikTok; and activist content creator Luna Möbius will offer a behind-the-scenes look at image usage on social media.

In the workshop “MEME THE PAIN AWAY” with the Viennese Ibiza meme creator Anahita Neghabat, we’ll get cozy to spin empowering memes in a relaxed atmosphere and tickle the screens with creative fingertips.

The “HAMMER PANEL” on Saturday, April 18, at 7:00 PM with Lie Ning, Miriam Coretta Schulte, and Frederik Busch brings art and activism to the stage. Moderated by Dixi Glow, Lie Ning speaks about the journey as a QTBIPoC artist and what it means to have activism practically handed to you; Miriam Coretta Schulte reports on her research into the continuity of police violence in Namibia since the German colonial era; Frederik Busch demonstrates how, in his artistic biography, the focus on the social has evolved into a practice of social space.

For a lively conclusion to the day of discourse, Saeleen Bouvar, founder of the legendary TRANSTRONICA Festival, invites you on Saturday evening, April 18, to an exclusive DJ set in the exhibition to get your bodies moving in this fever dream of a public restroom.

The team bows and together finds “happiness in the restroom.”