Hidden Heroes: Vernissage und Künstlerinnen-Gespräch

"Hidden Heroes" Comes to Garage Ost—AnArt Project About Endometriosis and Adenomyosis

“Hidden Heroes” is a documentary photography project by Nietze (www.dnietze.com) about two chronic conditions that affect millions of people yet remain largely invisible.

In Germany alone, over two million people are affected—women, transmasculine, and non-binary individuals who live with severe pain, lengthy diagnostic journeys, and a condition that remains underestimated and is often inadequately treated to this day. Endometriosis and adenomyosis are now being discussed. But women’s and FLINTA* health has been largely neglected by research for decades. There is a lack of research into causes, reliable diagnoses, and effective treatment.

Since 2022, Nietze has portrayed over 70 people: those affected as well as specialists in gynecology, sex therapy, physical therapy, and nutritional medicine. Her images are intimate and honest, many accompanied by interviews and personal essays. The work straddles the boundaries of art, health, and social reality—and questions not only the medical system but also how people navigate it on their own terms, beyond simple answers.

The opening reception will take place on July 13 at Garage Ost at 7:00 p.m. In a conversation with the artist, Nietze speaks with Lanie Müller about more than just *Hidden Heroes*: why, as a documentary photographer, she repeatedly captures what is barely visible in society—pain, illness, aging, subculture—and what it takes for intimacy and trust to yield images that do not sugarcoat reality.

There will also be a pain simulator on site that uses electrical impulses to provide a tangible experience of menstrual cramps.