Löwenbrücke (Sambucus), 2025

Löwenbrücke (Sambucus), 2025, Metal, paint, 16 leaves, 1 feather, 2 cigarette butts: 198 × 117 × 115 cm

This work by Álvaro Urbano is a hand-painted metal sculpture that closely resembles the plant life found near the Löwenbrücke (Lions’ Bridge) in Berlin’s Tiergarten, the city’s largest park. Since the post-war 1950s, this area has been an active cruising site, and Urbano’s sculptural installation evokes its history by constructing an environment of seclusion and secrecy. Created for the artist’s 2025 solo exhibition at ChertLüdde gallery, titled September and the Lions, the piece contributes to an architecture of Berlin’s queer spaces and history.

The plants, kept true to their original scale, are captured in their late-September state – just before slipping into winter dormancy. Set under lighting that mimics a constant twilight, the plants become both subject and backdrop: a hidden sanctuary offering physical and emotional refuge for queer intimacy.