First day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and what better sign of renewal than a fresh Urban Nation bloom—sprouting defiantly among the dried leaves, cigarette butts, and abandoned Berliner Pilsner bottles?
As part of an ongoing conversation with curator Michelle Houston about the latest show at Urban Nation, LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY, we find ourselves drawn to the echoes of the Situationists, those restless wanderers who believed the city wasn’t just a place but an experience—one that tugs at your emotions, plays with your psychology, and sometimes leads you straight to an impromptu picnic on Görlitzer Park’s slightly suspect grass.
The show isn’t just a tribute to urban spaces; it’s a love note, a protest, and a collection of insights into the streets that shape us and our experience.
Video credits: Commissioned by Stiftung Berliner Leben. Shot by Alexander Lichtner & Ilja Braun. Post-production, additional footage, graphics, and a final version by Michelle Nimpsch for YAP Studio/YES, AND… productions GmbH & Co. KG
We are thrilled to once again announce the Martha Cooper Scholarship, in partnership with Urban Nation. This scholarship offers a promising photographer the chance to spend 10 months in Berlin in 2026—fully supported and immersed in the city’s dynamic creative environment.
This extraordinary opportunity provides not only free accommodation in an artist residence and full coverage of travel and living expenses but also regular mentorship, collaboration with artists across disciplines, and participation in Urban Nation’s projects and partnerships.
Now in its second year, this scholarship continues to celebrate the vision and legacy of Martha Cooper, who remains an integral part of the selection committee. Berlin is a global epicenter of urban contemporary art, where history, rebellion, and creative experimentation collide. Its streets are an open-air gallery, layered with decades of graffiti, murals, and artistic interventions that reflect the city’s ever-evolving identity. A magnet for artists, Berlin fosters a culture of artistic freedom, collaboration, and innovation, making it one of the most dynamic places for street art, photography, and contemporary expression. As the first recipient fo the Martha Cooper Scholarship embarks on their journey in Berlin right now, we are eager to welcome the next photographer ready to explore and capture the spirit of Berlin.
Applications for 2026 are now open—we look forward to seeing your work!
Read an excerpt from the official Call below:
The Martha Cooper Scholarship (MCS) offers a unique opportunity for an individual from Africa or Latin America to dedicate themselves for eleven months to an artistic project through the medium of photography. With the newly announced MCS, the Foundation Berliner Leben acknowledges the importance of documentary photography and purposefully offers a production scholarship for documentary photographers with an ethnographic focus to apply for this scholarship, seeking projects that critically and thoughtfully engage with the places, communities, and social realities they document. Prioritizing work that captures the context between people and their environments, we support projects that reflect everyday life, shifting cultural landscapes, and the ways communities adapt and change. The scholarship encourages applications from photographers whose work offers fresh, honest perspectives on lived experience, community, and identity with depth and optimism. The scholarship is based on the annual topic of Fresh A.I.R., the scholarship programme of Stiftung Berliner Leben. It addresses social and political developments that affect us in the present and highlights the diversity of human experience and perception of the world.
The scholarship is based on the annual topic of Fresh A.I.R., the scholarship programme of Stiftung Berliner Leben, which addresses social and political developments that affect us in the present, and highlights the diversity of human experience and perception of the world.
The chosen photographer will be invited to live and work in one of our Fresh A.I.R. residencies in Berlin Schöneberg.
The current call is for the 11th class starting in February 2026 and ending in November 2026.
Application for a scholarship in 2026
Application deadline: Sunday,16th March, 2025
Applications are only accepted via Email: FreshAIR-office@stiftung-berliner-leben.de
For a successful application please hand in the following documents:
• Curriculum vitae
• Project outline/description
• Budget plan
FOR MORE DETAILS, HOW TO APPLY AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION CLICK HERE
The newest mural by Innerfields marks a powerful addition to Berlin’s urban cityscape, installed as part of the ONE WALL initiative by Urban Nation. This Berlin-based street art duo, Holger Weißflog and Jakob Tory Bardou, has created a moving tribute to Dorothee and Harald Poelchau, who bravely sheltered those persecuted during the Nazi era. The mural, located on the façade of a Gewobag building in Charlottenburg-Nord, draws on Innerfields’ signature photorealistic style with a blend of surrealist and symbolic elements, visually narrating a story of courage, protection, and human resilience.
Central to the mural are the intertwined hands of Dorothee and Harald, symbolizing the physical and emotional sanctuary they offered to those in need. Dorothee holds a light, a gesture conveying warmth and hope amid adversity, while a menorah placed nearby serves as a poignant reminder of the Holocaust. Lines weave through these elements, subtly representing the network of resistance that the Poelchaus supported, embodying a collective strength defying oppression.
Originally a trio with artist Veit Tempich, Innerfields has painted murals worldwide, from Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne to Aalborg, Prague, and Hong Kong. Known for tackling themes of human interaction, technology, and environmental consciousness, Innerfields employs a unique fusion of realism, surrealism, and abstraction; theirs is a unique reflection on society’s dynamics. Their work has appeared at prestigious events like Out in the Open in Aalborg and the Wall Street Festival in Prague, as well as in galleries like ATM Gallery in Berlin and 30works Gallery in Cologne.
Here, we see how Innerfields brings historical remembrance into the present, creating a public artwork and a newly living memorial. The project involved students from the Anna Freud School, who engaged with the mural’s themes, enhancing their understanding of resistance and actively participating in Berlin’s evolving culture of remembrance. The mural, initially surprising to some in the community with its bright pink primer, it now appears to resonate deeply with locals, fostering a sense of shared history and identity. It is just the latest showing Innerfields’ commitment to creating meaningful public art that honors the past and inspires the future.
Berlin is teeming with artists of all kinds—not just street artists and graffiti writers—from around the world. For decades, the city has been a natural magnet for creatives. In conjunction with the new exhibition Love Letters to the City, Urban Nation brought around 20 artists to the streets surrounding the museum. The diverse techniques and styles showcased here reflect the incredible talent in the city—a convergence of dreams, aspirations, and life paths intersecting in this urban landscape. Below is a selection of walls and images we captured during the UN celebrations.
URBAN NATION MUSEUM’S EXHIBITION “LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY” is currently on view. The Community Murals are also on view and free to the public. For schedules and further details click HERE
For a decade, SaveArtSpace has transformed New York’s streets into open-air galleries, reclaiming advertising spaces as canvases for public expression. …Read More »
Interpreting Warmia’s Hidden Patterns from Above and Within Bartek Swiatecki’s latest book, Warmioptikum, is a striking fusion of abstract painting …Read More »
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
