Spyros Rennt’s new book is an ‘ode to queer kinship’

Connection is at the heart of any dancefloor. In its simplest framework, the club is a space of give-and-take. The DJ throws a beat to the crowd – they catch it, sync up to it, and pass it around, locking eyes with strangers and colliding with sticky shoulders. This connectedness is at the heart of Intertwined, the latest photobook from Berlin-based photographer Spyros Rennt.

“The title refers both to the people’s lives and the way they are woven together, as an ode to queer kinship,” explains Rennt. “It’s also about the way I photograph bodies – I like to shoot dancers. I try to make their bodies come together in weird and unusual formations, hence ‘Intertwined’.” Rennt has become known for his candid portrayals of Berlin’s queer nightlife. He views Intertwined as an extension of this ongoing exploration of queer identity, and regards his photographic practice to be “one long, continuous series”.  

While previous works – Corpeal (2023), Last Surrender (2020), and Another Excess (2018) – focused on the intimacy that unfolds between shuddering basement raves and the early hours at an afters, Intertwined sees this focus shift to the subtler expressions of intimacy found within these queer spaces: tender embraces on the dancefloor, quiet self-reflection, and the softer exchanges that often go unnoticed amid the chaos.

”Some of my favourite photos have been taken in private flats, during afterparties,” says Rennt. “Queer people are bound to feel more comfortable expressing themselves in more private settings.” This observation speaks to a broader shift in queer socialisation, where communities expand beyond traditional club spaces and into more private environments. The pandemic played a role in this transition as LGBTQ+ venues shut down, social networks fractured, and economic instability made nightlife less accessible. Rising costs and the increasing commercialisation of queer spaces have also led some to seek out more accessible, self-organised gatherings that prioritise intimacy and connection.

While still recognising that sexuality is an essential part of queer intimacy, Rennt’s work pushes back against reducing queer spaces to over-sexualised stereotypes. “I stay away from clichés by documenting real moments of connection and togetherness,” he explains. He prefers a straightforward, honest approach to his work, approaching topics of queerness and intimacy with “rawness and sensitivity”.

Assembling the book was a meditative process for Rennt. Hundreds of photographs were laid out across the floor of his Kreuzberg studio, slowly forming the diptychs that structure the book alongside a foreword by Michele Fossi. “Sometimes the two images of the diptych can be thematically aligned; other times their colour palettes can match, or I repeat the same person captured on different occasions,” Rennt explains. “It can also be that two images just work well together in a way that only makes sense to me. In any case, diptychs are a big part of my approach to book-making.” These pairings draw out subtle connections within his work, whether through repeated gestures, mirrored compositions, or parallels that amplify the sense of closeness the book captures.

“In these challenging times, the connections we share with friends, lovers, and our communities have never felt more vital. This book is my testament to those fleeting, transformative moments of closeness,” says Rennt. The people in his images form a kind of queer kinship – older and newer friends, lovers, ex-lovers who became friends, people he met online, people he met in the club, family members. “I usually feel like I know a person a little better after I have shot them,” he says. More than a record of parties and afters, Intertwined is a reminder that this framework of give-and-take doesn’t have to dissipate when the lights come up; it can continue to hold people together long after the party has ended.

Intertwined is available to order here now.