Berlin, part 1 : Street art discovery

In my life, I went in Germany two times: the first time, in Hankesbüttel, a tiny city in the middle of nowhere of the middle of the country (yep, middle²). It was close to the ancient iron curtain and it was one of the first time I went in another country, so it was very nice. The second time, I went to Köln and his area, in the west of the country. It’s a city much bigger than the first one, I was of age to drink, so it was veeeery nice too!

But while these two trips, a little glow kept my attention, far away in the east:


Berlin


For years, I heard a lot of things about this city, but I never took the time to go there. Even this last summer, I heard

“There is Germany, and there is Berlin…”

What a mysterious city…

In the beginning of September, I spoke with my friend Mathilde. Basically, that what we said:
- Hi, how are you?
- Fine and you? I begin an internship in Berlin for some month, you’re welcome.
- Oh cool, I will, trust me!

Two weeks later.

- Ok, I can come in the first week of October.
- Ok, welcome 

And that’s how I land un Berlin, at 9:00, on the 30th of September. I just arrived in her apartment and met her friend, Jeanne from Belgium, she already proposes a walk in the city: The Free Tour. Well, ok, let’s go.

I didn’t have any idea about what was it, but I follow her with a bike, and twenty minutes later we met Rosalee, from London, our guide. I also met another Mathilde’s friend, Aurélie the Swiss. Here began two free tours: the main one, or the alternative one. Everybody knows we are adventurer, so we have chosen the alternative one… Soooo mysterious…

And that’s how I discover Berlin through the street art view, and it was unbelievable. After a picture of the all group, we directly went to the first spot. I didn’t understand everything on this spot for two reasons: first, I didn’t spoke or really listen English since a month, so I needed a bit time to derusted my ears. And secondly, and actually mainly, I didn’t really like the first things we saw. I didn’t even take any picture, sorry. But at this moment, I didn’t know I will be amazed by the following of the day, I didn’t know I’ll write on it.

Basically, it was a figure of people dancing, on a bridge, just below a railway. This part was actually primary, because we learnt that Berlin is a really important place for street art since the falling of the well, in 1989. When it happened, lot of people from east Berlin ran away from their house, letting all there life behind. All this apartment became squat and place to experiment new forms of art. We spent a lot of time at this spot, but I skip it because I can’t wait to speak about the next ones…

The second spot was just on the other side of the bridge.

This girl, with her pink hairs and her look immediately kept my attention. Stranded behind her bar, she gave off so much feelings. In front of this scene, the first question which appears in the mind: why the artist decides to put her behind the bars instead of another part of the wall, very more accessible? To jail her? But this look, she seems so combative, she will never be defeated by these bars. She obviously a fighter. On my right someone asked “Is she behind the bars, or are we?”

Damn.




This looks suddenly became very rough. Maybe is she judging us, maybe is she our keeper.




Crap.




This figure really disrupted me: I’m not insensitive in front of art, but it very uncommon that I wonder that much in front of an artwork. Damn, I never been that affected by street art. Most of the time, I appreciate art because of his beauty. Here, it was more than beauty, it was really intense, and I can’t explain why.

We finally moved on the third spot. And this girl looked us leaving her jail.




Or maybe going deeper in ours.




Before the next subject, I will come back to the morning. At 4 am actually. It’s pretty funny we did this free tour because some hours earlier, I spoke about street art on the road to the airport. We already spoke about that some days before, and basically the discussion was:

- Street art is scandalous, it’s ugly and everywhere and… -that kind of stuff-
- Yeah… But you know, sometimes there is really cool stuff…

I didn’t have really good argument: I never been really interested by this subject: sometimes I see something in the street, I think “Oh, that’s cool.” And I continue. This morning, in the car, my mom told me again “Look at these ugly tags”. Yes… Once again, I didn’t have real answer…

Later that day, I understood it’s because I don’t really look.




I see, I don’t look.




The third spot was the more impressive of the day. It’s a tiny street in the middle of Berlin with artworks absolutely everywhere. We began with classic things, in my opinion. Cool things, but classic. A guy wrote:

We can ask ourselves some questions about the real meaning, by studying the artist and by taking a certain point of view, but as I said, I research beauty in art.

Though, this hyphen between “face” and “book” disrupt me a bit… Everybody know how to write facebook, that’s weird… Rosalee, if you pass here, we can discuss about that, I noticed it when I checked my pictures ;)

SO. It’s interesting, but… Meeeh, not for me. I was listening our guide and looking around us when a skull kept my attention…

Hmmm pretty cool.

I continued to look around and, just above me, I saw two tiny elephants.

Very nice. That’s how I understood how to appreciate the street art in the right way: there is a lot of bad things. But in the middle of all this shit, if you have the right good look, you can find great details. The rights word are those I used before:




Look around.




In the middle of this street, covered by hundreds of posters and drawings, you could find this face, on the top of wall. Pretty interesting. And if you have a wonderful guide like ours, you could learn it’s a French artist who print his own face with lot of grimaces.

You could appreciate a big drawing with beautiful colors like this one like this one.

But if you look well, you could notice this little woman with her cat. Pretty nice, right.

Of course, there is beautiful huge artwork, like this monkey, in the same alley. This drawing want to remind to visitors to not just take great picture for their Instagram account, because big stuff happened in this back-street. This place housed the workshop of Otto Weidt. Basically, this guy risked his life to protect Jews while the WWII. In the middle of Berlin. Pretty big deal. Every days, people just come here, take picture and leave, without knowing what’s happened here. If you’re interested, you can visit the Museum Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt, it’s free and interesting.

The fact that this street is a representation of free expression is pretty strong. Like I said, serious stuff happened here to protect the freedom of people. I think it's a really good things that this is street in particular (even if it's not the only one) allow to that shape of expression.

After this little alley, full of stories (I didn’t write all of it), we went to another place. A very impressive artwork was waiting there.

Ok, I can zoom a bit.

So, that’s the moment where I resume writing after three days and… I forgot things… There was a very good story about this face, but the only things I remember is the way the artist used to create it, which is pretty amazing. The base was originally fully white. The dude disposed hundreds if tiny explosive stuff. The explosions removed the white where it was wanted. And here is a face. Fucking amazing right?

This last picture was take from the bridge we took to go in Kreuzberg. There, in the middle of a street, we found a cabin. Build on two trees. Yes, as you did when you were children. Maybe a bit more developed.

This cabin was built by Osman Kalin, a Turkish immigrant. As I said, I forgot some things about this day, but as I said, I remember the best part: This place didn’t belong to Osman when he built his cabin, so the city asked him to move. He refused. Like… Really.

I will not move, AND MY STUFF NEITHER. THIS TABLE WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE.

I love this story. And this bird too.

If you are looking for more information about this place, just search “Tree house Berlin” on Google (or Duckduckgo. Or Ecosia. Be responsible, leave google <3), who will find a lot of links.

On the road to the next spot I looked around and found this.

That’s all. I don’t have any story because we didn’t stop, but I like it.

The next spot was very impressive. Painted by an Italian guy, Blu, this artwork measure at least 7 or 8 meters.

It’s pretty deep, there is probably a lot of things to analyse from this artwork, but I’m not here for that. If I understood well, this guy was against the fact that art bring back money. I’m not sure if it was his own art or any art. The fact is, when he notices that one of his creation is used to make money, he just removes it. Which is completely normal and legitimate. But when you see the size of his artworks, it’s even more impressive.

I forgot the name of the last place we visited: it’s a part of the wall of Berlin which is still standing. On dozens (hundreds?) meters of wall, different artists paint large paintings about everything. It’s a very nice place, I’ll just let here my favorite, if you want to see more, take a plane and come see by yourself ;)

And this is the end of the street art tour of Berlin. If you pass here, thank you so much Rosalee, it was very nice!

And for other readers, see you later for another paper about Berlin ;)

Here is the list of the artists we spoke about during the visit.
Sobr
Kripo and Roy
CBS
Obey
El Bocho
Haus Schwarzenberg
SP38
Gregors
Bastardilla
Jimmy C
Various and Gould
Vhils
Yaay
+-0
1UP
Mimi the Clown
Osman Kalın
Kunsthaus Bethanien
Waldemarstrasser
Blu
Thierry Noir

I hope I spelt every name right, please notice me if I made a mistake!