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?)
“Heyyya everybody! I present to you modern day Berlin. Lets go!”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.Swag? Boom? Pick a concert, any concert.Bring your dancing shoes (and maybe an umbrella). Right here. It’s goin’ down.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…)
Puddle puddle on the floor, whose the graffitiest of us all?The Graffiti Goddess. All the graffitimen wanna date her, all the graffichicks want her hair.DING DONGGGG. Parties here.The real TAG team. Heyyy HSK, Kip, TFTG…. come out come out wherever you areeeee!woooaAAAHHhhhh are all these colors making you dizzy, or is it just me?Ok, break time.pick a table, any table…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.And on your way out, don’t forget… walk with a smile 😉And into the streets we go.Red cars just have way more street cred.but bikes are cool too.especially if there’s a motor attached!A little different than the flower pots in your garden?Everybody, look across the street…EYE see the East Wall!And we’ve made it. Let’s check out some East Side Gallery art, shall we?Gorbatschow, the last leader of the Soviet Union, driving a steering wheel and hammer right through the wall. Bye bye wall! Hellooo graffitifriends.From Kristallnacht on Nov 9th, 1938, to the day the wall came down exactly 50 years later. Boyyy have we come a long way…“The Socialist Fraternal Kiss” Socialist leaders Honecker and Breschnew lockin’ lips. Take that, socialism and hate.whether you’re a cross loveror a star loverWE ALL LOVE. This buddha depicts the seven stages of enlightenment. And some really pretty colors. Thank you, artist Narendra Kumar Jain.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.And here is the living proof…
Hahah true! Maybe that’s the secret…we should all quit our day jobs, move to Berlin, and open up a spray paint business! Seems promising. What do ya think?
I’ve never taken a street art tour but I’m increasingly starting to think I definitely should! It’s often difficult to see the real meaning of the masterpieces.. Berlin is a great spot for that! Awesome photos btw!
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
Casie –
This is fantastic!!!!!!! and that goes for you too!!!!!!
Another Awesomely awriginal post only seen as Berlin can be seen through your inds’ eye!!!!!!
Colorful! Somewhere there’s a spray paint can manufacturer who’s making a fortune off all of this paint.
Hahah true! Maybe that’s the secret…we should all quit our day jobs, move to Berlin, and open up a spray paint business! Seems promising. What do ya think?
Sounds good to me! Und ich kann Deutsch sprechen. 😉
I’ve never taken a street art tour but I’m increasingly starting to think I definitely should! It’s often difficult to see the real meaning of the masterpieces.. Berlin is a great spot for that! Awesome photos btw!
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
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 ! 🙂