Berlin is a wonderful city. It’s entrepreneurial, exciting, vibrant and urbane. Creativity and graffiti are everywhere and I love being there.
Street art in Berlin is a big industry. It’s not exactly legal, but the local authorities aren’t doing much to change that. From the authorities’ point of view, the graffiti attracts tourists, and the tourists bring money to a city deep in debt.
“Street art is an umbrella term defining forms of visual art created in public locations, usually unsanctioned artwork executed outside of the context of traditional art venues. The term gained popularity during the graffiti art boom of the early 1980s and continues to be applied to subsequent incarnations.” (Source: Wikipedia)
Personally, I like the street art in Berlin. It certainly adds to the city’s quirkiness.
A lot of graffiti is two-dimensional but I’ve chosen a variety of street art, some with layers and textures. Really like the vibrant scene seen here above.
Love these knitted pieces permanently dressing this pole.
There’s something so sensitive and beautiful about this black and white charcoal drawing.
I like the juxtaposition here between the flat art work and the three-dimensional feel of the door panels.
A collage of a girl’s face and hair. Great pink tones.
A simple graffiti that has a nice three-dimensional feel. I really like the colour palette. I might use it in a design or future painting.
More coloured graffiti.
A beautiful glazed portrait permanently fixed to the brick wall. Stunning hair treatment. Is this considered graffiti art?
Is there a street art scene where you live? Happy weekend. See you Monday.
19 Comments
We just have recovered a Keith Haring wall here in BCN.
Berlin is street art. It’s like Paris and the Eiffel Tower you can’t think of the city without thinking graffities. That’s at least my impression. I lived many years ago in Berlin and it’s just another way of express the cities underground creativity. A city with no art underground movement is missing something. xo
Wow, love a bit of Keith Haring..
Yes, totally agree. It would be something you immediately say about Berlin. It’s also interesting how the Wall is covered in Graffiti.
I didn’t know you lived in Berlin. Cool! You choose cool cities to live in:-)
I couldn’t agree more. ‘Art underground movements’ are dynamic and edgy. A must for me.. thanks Gudy x
Now these are your best pics yet Tina-love them-and your written piece-as always. I think really Tina’s book on Berlin is in order… You’ve made street art look so much more fascinating and enticing than I’ve found it before-I’m never too sure if I love it or hate it when I’m in Berlin, but Gudy’s comment has made me think again too-time to be a little more open minded I think!! Thanks for your mail lovely-looks fab-really looking forward to it 😉 xx
Thanks Caroline. I did think about you lot when I was there and I even saw some white asparagus:-))
I’m not sure about Tina’s book on Berlin, but maybe seen from a Kraut who lives in London.. there could be an angle:-)
I know what you mean and I do think that Street Art is an acquired taste. It’s more what you’re used to. You live in a very pretty part of the country so maybe you don’t come enough into contact with it. Living in London, not far from Shoreditch, Hackney et cetera, I’m very used and comfortable with it.
Maybe one day we do a Art Street|Graffiti bloggers meet-up and take photographs.
Glad you got my email xx
Berlin street art is the best! In Paris we have some nice pieces by Fred le Chevalier, Jérôme Mesnager, le Module de Zeer and Leo & Pipo (and many many more), but nothing beats Berlin: they’re bigger, more colorful and they’re everywhere. Thanks for sharing your colourful images, Tina!
Wow, you know your stuff…. impressive:-)
Yeah, Street Art in Paris is ok but it’s in the Berlin DNA… it’s part of the heart beat of the city! I agree, bigger, bolder and everywhere. Yay!!
Glad you enjoyed x
Great post, once again Tina. I love this street art. I especially like to see parts of the furniture incorporated. Of course, I like the knitting on the pole. A little boy came up to me in the gallery the other day and asked where he could find some ‘Banksies’ HeHe!
Thanks ALison. It is really vibrant, all encompassing and breaks every boundary. The knitting on the pole is my fav:-)
Aww, how sweet is that??? I hope you told him where to look:-) xx
I absolutely love street art and your pictures now make me want to visit Berlin! There is something about the freedom involved in creating art where it’s not supposed to be that fascinates me. Thanks for the inspiration. xD
Ha. If you love Street Art, you will LOVE Berlin! It’s full of it but in a good way. Yes, I don’t often see artist create permanent Street Art (for obvious reasons:-)) but I love that it’s sort of illegal but not quite.. it’s, as I said, one hands washes the other. Love that about Berlin.
Hopefully see you in Berlin soon xx
Nice post!! Didn’t know you were planning a pure graffiti one. So glad!
And so glad you include El Bocho’s work! (the lady with pink hair). I had the privilege to see him in action once. He was commissioned to paint a mural live at an event I attended. So cool to see the progression from blank canvas to finished product! As usual, he was wearing a handkerchief on his face in public as to not reveal his identity, which I liked – so mysterious 😉
Xx.
Ha. Well, wasn’t quite planned but it sort of worked as a bit of storytelling:-))
Of course, I don’t know El Bocho and how great that you saw him in action. I would love to see a graffiti done live! Bet it was exciting.
“he was wearing a handkerchief on his face in public as to not reveal his identity” Really? What is he doing the Banksy schtick?
He was inviting to the event. OK, probably goes with the territory.
Cool! Thanks Holly xx
PS> Miss Berlin, miss you and P and J xxx
Nice selection of street art. I also have a whole lot of street art photos from Berlin. It’s really the best place to go and admire graffiti. The knitted pole warmers are a trend I think. I see them every where these days. Hope you enjoyed your trip.
Thanks:-) It’s cool right?
Ha. Trust you to know about trends…”The knitted pole warmers trend”, only you know that:-)))
Where do you see them? In Holland?
Berlin was totally fab!
Very very cool street art, it adds so much character to a city and is great for tourism as you said. Love these photos. We have laneways in the city in Melbourne that are totally covered in graffitti, it gives these artists an outlet for their work. Glad you had such a fab time in Berlin, I’ve never been there but it looks so cool. xx
Bet the Street Art in Melbourne is cool. i wonder how it differs from Europe?
You would love Berlin xx
Graffiti art is cool when done well and I know that they do it well in Berlin. I hate the whole ‘tagging’ culture in various cities – that’s the sort of graffiti that gives good graffiti a bad name.
We have a few areas of Belfast with street art and of course quite a big political mural scene. The latter attracts a lot of tourists.
Cool pics 🙂 xx
Well, there’ll always be a ‘tagging culture’ but one has to differentiate between that and good graffity.
Am sure you have a big political mural scene? What’s it like? Must google it to look at some pics.
Somehow I get tye feeling we won’t be seeing Graffiti on your blog:-) x
[…] After an incredibly stressful week I had this real urge to go and fill up my creative well. A long and colourful walk was much needed. One is never far away from incredible inspiration in London. The city is bustling with creativity and visual fodder. One such fodder is graffiti and street art. I’m proud to live in a city where this form of expression is welcome and in abundance. I already blogged about graffiti in Berlin. […]