©️Sven Marquardt
Berlin's techno scene has long been renowned for its gritty underground energy and raw, unfiltered sound. While the city's musical legacy is steeped in history, a new generation of artists is emerging to carry the torch into the future.
One such rising star is Clara Cuvé, a Munich-born DJ and producer rapidly making a name for herself in Germany's capital. Cuvé's journey into techno began in adolescence, when she discovered a love for vinyl records through friends. Her classical piano training was soon left behind, as she became enamored with Munich's bustling nightlife.
After being pushed to play her first DJ sets at local parties, Cuvé found confidence behind the decks. "DJing has helped me in my personal process to overcome my extreme shyness," she reflected. The transformative power of techno music quickly set Cuvé's path. She moved to Berlin and earned residencies at renowned clubs like OHM.
Now firmly planted in Berlin's scene, Cuvé connects with icons of past generations while trailblazing her own artistic vision. Her recent collaboration with photographer Sven Marquardt, who has captured club culture in Berlin for decades, brought together two distinct eras of the city's storied dance music legacy.
As Cuvé cements her place as a rising techno force, her sights remain fixed on the future.
Clara Cuvé’s steadily rising profile reached new heights in 2023 as she collaborated with renowned artists across creative disciplines. This past February, she was personally selected by fashion designer Rick Owens to perform at his runway show during London Fashion Week. Owens enlisted Cuvé to provide the musical backdrop as models walked in his much-anticipated collaboration with Italian clothing brand Moncler.
Sharing her talents on such a high-profile stage exemplified Cuvé’s expanding influence, but she hasn’t forgotten her underground roots. In March, Cuvé partnered with fellow artist MCR-T to launch a new event series called “Sesh” in Berlin. MCR-T, a visual and musical creator with German and American roots, joined forces with Cuvé to craft an immersive party concept.
Sesh aims to recapture the nostalgia of ‘90s raves combined with a futuristic aesthetic. Its first edition in March received widespread praise, proving the creative chemistry between Cuvé and MCR-T.
By honing her craft everywhere, from fashion runways to gritty club nights, Clara Cuvé continues to explore new artistic horizons. Her openness to diverse collaborations demonstrates her versatility as one of Berlin’s fastest-rising techno talents.
One of Cuvé’s most meaningful recent collaborations was a photo shoot with acclaimed German photographer Sven Marquardt. Known for his stark, black-and-white portraits, Marquardt has documented the personalities of Berlin’s club scene for nearly two decades. His lens has captured underground icons like Berghain residents Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann, spotlighting the city’s vibrant dance music culture.
As an artist entrenched in this world, Marquardt was a natural creative partner for Cuvé, who had long admired his melancholic aesthetic and unique perspective. Together with stylist Mi Märak, their vision was to showcase Cuvé's inner radiance and power through Marquardt’s signature style.
The resulting photos align with Cuvé’s own artistic growth. Märak describes the "fallen angel core" look as reflecting both artists’ essence — Cuvé’s organized anarchy meets Marquardt’s intensity. Garments from emerging designers like Ximon Lee and No Faith Studios added to the dynamic, forward-thinking aesthetic. The images provide a striking visual complement to Cuvé’s bold musical evolution.
By fusing their artistic voices, Sven Marquardt and Clara Cuvé produced a powerful documentation of Berlin’s club scene. Their collaboration connects techno generations, all while spotlighting Cuvé’s rise to prominence.
While from distinctly different eras, Clara Cuvé and Sven Marquardt's collaboration symbolizes the evolving narrative of Berlin's club culture. Marquardt first photographed the city's punk scene in the 1980s, before becoming ingrained in the techno movement. His tenure has spanned the fall of the Berlin Wall into the modern day.
Cuvé represents the new wave of young artists carrying the torch. Growing up in unified Germany, she discovered techno as a teenager in Munich. While Marquardt's creative roots stem from East Berlin's underground, Cuvé entered the scene as a club-goer after the Wall's divide.
Yet, despite their divergent backgrounds, the pair's outlooks converge on key points. Both found liberation in Berlin's dance floors — personally and artistically. As Marquardt puts it, techno became "a feeling of life" after the conformity of the GDR. Cuvé similarly calls DJing "transformative," helping her overcome insecurities.
When seen through the lens of Marquardt today, Cuvé proudly owns the self-assuredness their generation helped establish. Their art reminds us how Berlin's club legacy has evolved by embracing pioneers while uplifting future voices. United by a love of techno's anarchic energy, their collaboration links the scene's past and future.
As Clara Cuvé cements herself as one of Berlin's most promising young talents, the possibilities seem endless for what's next in her blossoming career. After breaking through with high-profile artistic collaborations in 2023, Cuvé's star is certainly on the rise.
Musically, fans can expect Cuvé's sound to continue evolving. She says her influences are changing all the time, revisiting past inspirations like jungle and drum 'n' bass, while pushing her production skills further. As Cuvé gains more studio experience, she could venture deeper into the harder, faster techno that first drew her in.
Visually, her creative partnership with Sven Marquardt may be just the beginning. Cuvé is hungry to work with other photographers, fashion designers, and visual artists to express her artistic vision through new mediums. She also plans to expand her event series Sesh into full-fledged party productions, allowing her creative direction to shape entire club experiences.
No matter which avenues she pursues next, Clara Cuvé seems certain to play a major role in the electronic music scene for years to come. Her relentless artistic drive and versatility have already set her apart. Now fully immersed in the city she adores, Cuvé's growing prominence will only spread Berlin's techno legacy to wider audiences worldwide.
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