A Street Art Tour of Berlin: Guided by the Graffiti Monster

Before I close the chapter to my Berlin series, I gotta cover one last thing. The thing that truly makes the city POP.

THE GRAFFITI.

It brings color and life to a city that was marked by grey and death. Woooooah. DEEP. I know…

But forreal. Every hidden alley, every rusting bridge, and every brick “WALL” of the city has been revived and brought to life with these incredibly groovy, eye popping paintings. Every drop of hot pink spray paint has a story to tell, and every wildly exaggerated caricature has a symbol to represent.

And now, I will let the Graffoto’s do the talking.

Leading today’s tour will be this guy. The friendly purple Graffomonster (second cousin to Barney?)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
“Heyyya everybody! I present to you modern day Berlin. Lets go!”
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
We’ll start here. The RAW Tempel. An old Industrial complex transformed into an outdoor cultural epicenter. During the summer, things get popppppin’. What does RAW stand for? Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk. 10 euros to whoever can say it.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Swag? Boom? Pick a concert, any concert.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Bring your dancing shoes (and maybe an umbrella). Right here. It’s goin’ down.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
ok TAG TEAM. This is our meeting spot. You’ve got 10 min to walk around the RAW Tempel and check it out for yourself. Ready…set…graffiGO.

Note: “Tag” in the Graffiti world means your “street art signature.” It’s how you’re recognized among the street artist community. (So, now do you get the pun?! hehe…)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Puddle puddle on the floor, whose the graffitiest of us all?
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The Graffiti Goddess. All the graffitimen wanna date her, all the graffichicks want her hair.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
DING DONGGGG. Parties here.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The real TAG team. Heyyy HSK, Kip, TFTG…. come out come out wherever you areeeee!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
woooaAAAHHhhhh are all these colors making you dizzy, or is it just me?
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Ok, break time.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
pick a table, any table…
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Time’s up!! Bye RAW Tempel. Next stop? East Side Gallery. But don’t miss the street art on the walk there…
On the other side of the fence, looking in to the Raw pit.
On the other side of the fence, looking in to the RAW pit.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
And on your way out, don’t forget… walk with a smile 😉
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
And into the streets we go.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Red cars just have way more street cred.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
but bikes are cool too.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
especially if there’s a motor attached!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
A little different than the flower pots in your garden?
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Everybody, look across the street…EYE see the East Wall!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
And we’ve made it. Let’s check out some East Side Gallery art, shall we?
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Gorbatschow, the last leader of the Soviet Union, driving a steering wheel and hammer right through the wall. Bye bye wall! Hellooo graffitifriends.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
From Kristallnacht on Nov 9th, 1938, to the day the wall came down exactly 50 years later. Boyyy have we come a long way…
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
“The Socialist Fraternal Kiss” Socialist leaders Honecker and Breschnew lockin’ lips. Take that, socialism and hate.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
whether you’re a cross lover
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
or a star lover
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
WE ALL LOVE. This buddha depicts the seven stages of enlightenment. And some really pretty colors. Thank you, artist Narendra Kumar Jain.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
And no matter what belief you might have, believe this: “Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world.” AMEN.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
And here is the living proof…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

So tag team, where will you make your mark?

#youngwildwanderingandhungry

 

 


8 thoughts on “A Street Art Tour of Berlin: Guided by the Graffiti Monster

    1. Thank you! And I’d absolutely recommend it! It totally gives a different perspective of the art you otherwise wouldn’t think too much of in passing. Especially if a Graffiti Monster is your tour guide ;P

  1. Wooow! I’ve never been to Berlin but I see it’s definetely worth to check it out! Photos are truly remarkable, thanks for this ! 🙂

Let's Chat! Whattya think?