All posts tagged: Urban Nation Berlin

Books In The MCL: The Self-Titled “NeSpoon”

Books In The MCL: The Self-Titled “NeSpoon”

Book Review by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo / Brooklyn Street Art for the Martha Cooper Library at Urban Nation Museum, Berlin, Germany.

NeSpoon,” a monograph on the work of the Polish artist, provides a comprehensive examination of her unique integration of lace patterns into urban and natural landscapes. The book, limited to 111 copies, each spanning over 420 pages, showcases the artist’s extensive portfolio and delves into the anthropology, cultural, and historical significance underlying her chosen medium.

“Why lace? It just came to me. Lace chose me, not the other way around. I’ve never liked lace. Before I started working with it, I thought lace was something old-fashioned, from a grandmother’s dusty apartment. Today it seems to me that each lace harbors harmony, balance and a sense of natural order. Isn’t that just what we are all searching for instinctively?”

~ NeSpoon

NeSpoon revitalizes the traditional craft of lace-making, tracing its roots back to the mid-sixteenth century in Venice and Flanders. This blend of past and present is a recurring theme in her art, as she applies centuries-old designs to contemporary settings. Beyond aesthetic enhancement, her projects aim to instill harmony and natural order—qualities she believes are inherent in lace patterns. CLICK URBAN NATION BERLIN TO CONTINUE READING.

Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo, Photos: Sebastian Kläbsch

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Innerfields’ New Berlin Mural: A Tribute to Sanctuary, Solidarity, and Remembrance

Innerfields’ New Berlin Mural: A Tribute to Sanctuary, Solidarity, and Remembrance

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.

Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)

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.

Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)

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.

Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)
Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)
Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)
Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)
Innerfields. ONE WALL Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin/Stiftung Berliner Leben. Charlottenburg-Nord, Berlin. (photo © Ludger Paffrath/Stiftung Berliner Leben)
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Bülow Street Festival & Community Murals During  Urban Nation Museum Opening in Berlin

Bülow Street Festival & Community Murals During Urban Nation Museum Opening in Berlin

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.

Bülow Streetart Jam / Floating Walls

Denis Dendi. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Dendi. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Denis Dendi. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dr. Molrok. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dr. Molrok. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fabifa. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tape artist Fabifa at work. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fabifa. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo). Fabifa (Instagram: @tape_fabifa) – Specializes in tape art, using colored adhesive tape to create large-scale, temporary murals.
Jakob Der Bruder. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jakob Der Bruder. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) Jakob der Bruder (Instagram: @jakobderbruder) – A Berlin-based muralist, Jakob der Bruder often focuses on figurative and symbolic art, using a mix of illustration style techniques to look at social and personal themes.
Mina. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Iss.Ue. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modern deconstruction of the letterform at its finest. Iss.Ue. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Iss.Ue. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) ISS.UE (Instagram: @_iss.ue) – A graffiti artist known for intricate line work skillz and surrealist compositions.
Rene Meyer. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rene Meyer. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rene Meyer. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rene Meyer. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) René Meyer (rmyr) (Instagram: @rmyr.stencils) – A stencil artist from Germany, René Meyer’s work is defined by sharp, detailed designs focusing on urban life, often aiming to flip perceptions of modern society in the post industrial age.
ZEBU. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ZEBU. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) ZEBU (Instagram: @z_e_b_u) – ZEBU is a Berlin-based duo known for playful, minimalist graphic illustrations. They often work with bold, flat colors and create characters that interact with the surrounding environment, infusing humor and light-heartedness into urban spaces.

Bülow Streetart Jam / Community Murals

Felix Lies. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Felix Lies. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo). Felix Lies (Instagram: @felix.michael.lies) – Felix Lies is a Berlin-based muralist whose work often features clean, minimalist lines and geometric patterns. His figures interact with architecture and geometric forms, using space to reflect on interaction and movement.
WESR. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) WESR (Instagram: @wesr_art) – Originally from Lima, Peru, WESR (Danny Figueroa) blends street art with Andean symbolism and iconography. Vibrant colors, cultural identity, and themes of migration come in for examination.
Pablo Ientile. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pablo Ientile. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) Pablo Ientile (Instagram: @pablo.ientile) – An artist from Argentina now based in Berlin, Pablo Ientile’s work blends humor with social commentary, often using bold graphics and exaggerated figures to present themes of urban life and human relationships.
Rommy Gonzalez. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nerea Ferrer. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nerea Ferrer. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Snyder. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) Snyder (Instagram: @snyder_berlin) – Snyder is a Berlin-based street artist who creates large, bold murals often featuring animals and nature. Environmental issues and the natural world are introduced via psychedelia.
CAZ L. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CAZ L. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) CAZ.L (Instagram: @caz.l) His art is rooted in raw, urban aesthetics, and the intersection of contemporary street culture and whatever is on his mind.
Kasia Dudziak. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo). Kasia Dudziak (Instagram: @dudziakovska) – Hailing from Poland, Kasia Dudziak is known for her vibrant murals that often depict surrealist scenes, blending nature with abstract human figures. Ceramics, travelling, food, philosophy – its all in the mix between humanity and the natural world.
Jazoo Yang. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo). Jazoo Yang (Instagram: @jazooyang_art) – Based in Berlin but originally from South Korea, Jazoo Yang’s work explores the themes of urban decay and memory – also described as ‘She often distorts public spaces to profound ends.”
Jazoo Yang. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Wanitapagihari. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Wanitapagihari. Detail. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo). Wanitapagihari (Instagram: @wanitapagihari) Megawati Triadiani, also known as wanitapagihari, is an artist originally from Indonesia and currently residing in Berlin. They use a combination of line art and bold color blocks and look at themes of identity, migration, and connection.
Wanitapagihari. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kristina Popov. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo) Kristina Popov (Instagram: @kristina__popov) – Originally from Serbia, Kristina Popov’s art centers on abstract figures and surrealist landscapes. Themes appear to explore personal identity, movement, and transformation.
Kristina Popov. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kristina Popov. Bülow Street Festival. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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

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BSA Images Of The Week: 09.15.24 / Dispatch From Berlin

BSA Images Of The Week: 09.15.24 / Dispatch From Berlin

Welcome to BSA’s Images of the Week!

Culturally, artistically, and socially, Berlin never stops thrilling, surprising, and offering fresh perspectives. Though artists continue to discuss the rising cost of living and the slow disappearance of key clubs and cultural hubs, there’s still an undeniable fervor for new art and new participants are still shaking things up.

Witness the crowded museum and long lines of youth and middle-aged people, as well as some octogenarians at the Urban Nation opening here called “Love Letters to the City,” which is the main reason we’re here for a few days. The speeches, the beer, the energy, the high-quality installations and the questions they pose, the street fair with parkour and bBoys and bGirlz, rappers, kids tagging their names in aerosol at an open class, the exhibition boxing matches… It was a legit, diverse program, free of corporate overload, and with real talk on gentrification, the environment, and social and financial inequality. Once again, it proves that when art institutions take risks, they can give street art, graffiti, and urban art the respect they deserve.

While the debate still pops up about whether museums should even host street art and graffiti, there are smart and sharp pros teaming up with artists to push the conversation forward, broaden the topics, and bring more people into the mix. In the end, they’re archiving a small slice of this massive, chaotic global art movement – so future generations can get a glimpse of it, reflect on it, and maybe even get inspired.

While right-wing movements are reshaping politics here, leading to stricter border policies and longer lines at the airport, Berlin remains fiercely committed to its ragged, rebellious spirit of protecting individual liberties and free expression. The ironies are hard to miss: just two blocks from the Bulow Street Fair, a family-friendly block-long event celebrating what is officially illegal art on the street and political concerns may dominate conversations, Berlin hosts Folsom Europe, the largest festival for leather and fetish enthusiasts, raging freely for four days with five stages and a “puppy parade”. It’s a vivid contrast—on one hand, they’re tightening borders, and on the other, this is a celebration of personal freedom.

Also, it’s more entertaining than a boring football match. Thousands of (mostly) men parade down Fuggerstraße in neighboring Nollendorfstraße, stomping through the streets in various ensembles—militaristic oppressor, master and servant, or dog and owner themes. Regardless, most will be at brunch with hangovers the next morning. If a drunken one gets disorderly, the police are advised not to threaten with handcuffs. The festival attire may range from severe, almost fascist looks to outfits with a more playful fierceness, like brightly colored hazmat suits or firefighter uniforms. At the lower end of the fetish festival fashion spectrum are the guys who just threw on a leather vest or a pair of Doc Martens—and the “bought it at the mall” crowd are in one-piece leather or rubber jumpsuits with Hoxo sneakers, like race car drivers heading to the grocery store.

At Folsom, you can pick up everything from whips, paddles, original artwork, and adult toys to bratwurst, pretzels, beer, French fries (pommes), and meat skewers. There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options available. What’s most remarkable and admirable about the tough, perpetually unimpressed Berliners is that they’ve seen it all before and hardly take note. They go about their business—picking up Saturday groceries, maybe a bunch of flowers, or fetching their kid from Taekwondo class. They take their dog to the park to enjoy the sunny, chilly September weather. Everyday folks in the neighborhood wait patiently at the crosswalk, alongside a cluster of muscular men with mustaches and leather, sometimes greeting one another, but mostly unfazed by each other’s presence.

The current street art and graffiti—what’s been sprayed or pasted up recently—never fails to impress, even when you’re not entirely sure what it’s about. We’re happy to be here and to share some of it with you.

Here is our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Invader, 1Up Crew, Hera, Pobel, Nat At Art, One Truth, Natrix, Roffle, LAYD, T Tan Box, Rise, Petite Agite, Maxim, and PZE.

HERA. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HERA. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
1UP Crew (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
T Tan Box (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Invader (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JAYD (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ROFFFE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Natrix (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nat At Art for Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
PZE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MAXIM. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Maxim (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pobel (photo © Jaime Rojo)
One Truth (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (can’t read the signature) (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Petite Agite (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rise (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Berlin. September, 2024. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Lady Pink Paints Berlin Facade as ‘Love Letters to the City’ Opens at Urban Nation

Lady Pink Paints Berlin Facade as ‘Love Letters to the City’ Opens at Urban Nation

Join BSA this week in Berlin as we celebrate the opening of “Love Letters to the City,” the new exhibition at Urban Nation Museum. We’ll also be tooling around the city and sharing whatever catches our eye.


Love Letters to the City is a homage to the city, the idea of the universal city,” curator Michelle Houston reflects while seated at a picnic table outside a Thai restaurant in Berlin’s Schöneberg neighborhood. As final installations are taking place in Urban Nation, Houston’s gazes upward at the new mural on its façade being painted by OG train writer Lady Pink on a cherry picker at the museum. This mural is part of Houston’s upcoming show, “Love Letters to the City.”

Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 “I think paint in public spaces has a different potency in the city than anywhere else,” Houston explains, discussing the exhibition’s outdoor and indoor installations. She highlights the various ways Urban Nation is presenting the evolution of graffiti and street art, noting its role in urbanization, gentrification, and even social conditioning. “It does much more than just present pretty images.”

The museum’s exhibition features a diverse array of works, including full-scale three-dimensional installations and sculptures. A significant portion of the pieces are borrowed from the museum’s permanent collection, while others are newly commissioned from both national and international artists.

Lady Pink paints the Urban Nation Museum Berlin facade for the new exhibition Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Currently, Lady Pink, born Sandra Fabara in 1964 in Ecuador, is working on her mural two stories above the bustling street. Her piece, an illustrative and fantastical love letter of her own, features a swirling train reminiscent of the NYC subway trains she became famous for painting in the early 1980s. Her work includes improvisational tags of other iconic figures from that era. In Berlin, where graffiti and street art have transformed entire neighborhoods and established it a magnet for creativity in the public space, her mural is a testament to the city’s rich artistic history.

For Houston, the mural is just one example of “the ingenious ways that artists hack and appropriate public space.”

Lady Pink paints the Urban Nation Museum Berlin facade for the new exhibition Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink paints the Urban Nation Museum Berlin facade for the new exhibition Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink paints the Urban Nation Museum Berlin facade for the new exhibition Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink paints the Urban Nation Museum Berlin facade for the new exhibition Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. WIP. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Love Letters To The City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY AT URBAN NATION MUSEUM BERLIN OPENS TOMORROW FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 13. CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULES AND EVENTS DETAILS.

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Berlin’s URBAN NATION Museum Celebrates New Exhibition with Lady Pink and Bülow Street Festival

Berlin’s URBAN NATION Museum Celebrates New Exhibition with Lady Pink and Bülow Street Festival

Urban Nation Museum in Berlin invites New York legend Lady Pink to paint the museum façade to open the new exhibition, “Love Letters to the City.”


Opening at the URBAN NATION Museum on Friday, September 13, 2024, this multi-factorial and dynamic showcase, curated by Michelle Houston, celebrates the city’s essence through the eyes of over fifty international and Berlin-based street artists.

Keeping the focus local, the festivities with the Bülow Streetart Jam start Monday, September 9, with the Bülow Street Festival leading up to the grand exhibition launch. Hosted by the Berliner Leben Foundation and Gewobag, the community-centered event will invite participants from all over to be part of the art-making. The day after the exhibition opening, there will also be a Fresh A.I.R. Open House on September 14; where artists will offer a behind-the-scenes look at their current projects.

“Love Letters to the City” invites you to consider how art transforms and reflects urban spaces, our adoption of and reaction to them, and, ultimately, how they become part of the definition of a city. The new exhibition aims to spark critical conversations about urbanization, gentrification, and social issues. Among the extensive offerings are powerful works that challenge our perspectives and possibly inspire change within our shared human-built environments.

Come to Berlin to celebrate with BSA and UN as we explore the profound impact of street art on our cityscapes.

Exhibition Opening: September 13, 2024, 7–11 pm
URBAN NATION Museum, Bülowstraße 7, 10783 Berlin

Participating artists: 2501, Aniruddh Mehta, Banksy, Blek le Rat, Bordalo II, Carlos Mare aka Mare139, Chop ’em Down Films, Crash, Dan Witz, Daze, Drew.Lab_One, Elfo, Evol, HA Schult, HOGRE, Isaac Zavale, James Reka, Jaune, Jazoo Yang, Joel Daniel Phillips, Johannnes Mundinger, Jordan Seiler, Kenny Scharf, Lady Pink, Liviu Bulea, Martha Cooper, Matthew Grabelsky, MILLO, Moses & Taps, Nika Kramer, Octavi Serra, Owen Dippie, OX, PAINTING DHAKA Project, Paradox, Rocco and his brothers, Sebas Velasco, Shepard Fairey, Stephanie Buer, Stiftung Berliner Mauer, Stipan Tadić, Susanna Jerger, Tats Cru, THE WA, Vhils and Zhang Dali.

FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND SCHEDULE CLICK HERE

Jazoo Young. BÜLOW STREETART JAM. Urban Nation Musuem Berlin. (photo © Young-moon Ha)

BÜLOW STREETART JAM
September 9 to 14, 2024
Bülowstraße around the URBAN NATION Museum

The week before the grand opening of the exhibition LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY creative people from all over the world will paint new Community Walls and create Floating Murals. Among the highlights is the new museum façade of the URBAN NATION by Lady Pink, a tribute to the city. The artist Jazoo Yang invites you to become part of a unique community wall, where you can put your fingerprint on a wall at Bülowstr. 95 and leave a colorful trace. Join in on September 14, 2024, 12-6 pm.

FOR COMPLETE LIST OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS AND SCHEDULE CLICK HERE

BÜLOW STREET FESTIVAL
September 13 to 15, 2024
Zietenstraße, 10783 Berlin, at the URBAN NATION Museum

In conjunction with the opening of the LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY exhibition at the URBAN NATION Museum and the Berlin Democracy Day month of action, we are focusing on diversity and creative exchange in our city. The Bülow Street Festival brings together social and artistic projects committed to an open and inclusive society. It offers an opportunity to discover art and culture together and be inspired by the city’s creative energy. The weekend attracts visitors with artistic workshops, temporary floating murals, rousing music, exciting performances, delicious street food and more. Come celebrate with BSA as we will be in Berlin all week – come Celebrate with us!

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK HERE

BÜLOW STREET FESTIVAL. Urban Nation Musuem Berlin. (photo © Nika Kramer)
OPEN HOUSE. FRESH A.I.R. #9. Urban Nation Musuem Berlin. (photo courtesy of Urban Nation Museum)

OPEN HOUSE at Fresh A.I.R. #9
September 14, 2024, 4-8 pm
Bülowstr. 7, 10783 Berlin

Fresh A.I.R.’s OPEN HOUSE offers an exclusive look behind the scenes and the unique opportunity to talk to artists and peer over their shoulders. Come by on September 14 between 4 and 8 p.m.

FOR MORE DETAILS AND SCHEDULE CLICK HERE

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Books in the MCL: ROA Codex

Books in the MCL: ROA Codex

As founding members of the Martha Cooper Library at the Urban Nation Museum in Berlin, Brooklyn Street Art (BSA) proudly showcases a monthly feature from the MCL collection, illuminating the extensive and diverse treasures we’re assembling for both researchers and enthusiasts of graffiti, street art, urban art, and its numerous offshoots. Below, we present one of our latest selections.


Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Photos by Sebastian Kläbsch

ROA Codex,” a comprehensive exploration of the enigmatic Belgian street artist ROA, compiled by Ann Van Hulle with notable contributions from Lucy Lippard and Johan Braeckman and others, offers an unfiltered window into a decade of work that defies conventional artistic boundaries. ROA’s journey, beginning in the industrial landscapes of Belgium, extends to global outdoor canvases, where his art disrupts the mundane, evoking a primal connection to the natural world.

In this monograph, ROA’s artistry is portrayed as large-scale murals and an ongoing dialogue between our baffling constructed human existence and the animal kingdom. His work, often emerging from unexpected urban and rural backdrops, confronts the viewer with the familiar yet unknown. This juxtaposition of animals and architecture, depicted in stark monochrome, resonates with an uncanny sense of the creatures within and around us, often forgotten in our contemporary lifestyles.” Click URBAN NATION BERLIN to continue reading.

“ROA CODEX” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)
“ROA CODEX” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)
“ROA CODEX” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)
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The Martha Cooper Scholarship: Call For Applicants

The Martha Cooper Scholarship: Call For Applicants

We’re excited to introduce the inaugural Martha Cooper Scholarship (MCS), celebrating Martha Cooper’s legacy in capturing human cultures through photography. This scholarship presents a unique chance for photographers from Africa or Latin America to engage in an eleven-month artistic journey in Berlin.

As founding members of the Martha Cooper Library, we will select an individual who embodies her spirit, vision, and legacy alongside Martha and a panel of experts in art, academia, and photography and the Urban Nation Museum. This is not just a scholarship in her name; it’s an opportunity to contribute to a global dialogue and to represent the Urban Nation Museum and the Fresh Air program. The Fresh Air theme is “I AM FLUX: The Freedom of Being and the Possibilities of Becoming,” reflecting on human transformation and social issues.

If your artistry and vision resonate with these themes, this could be your path to making an impactful statement in documentary photography. Apply for this transformative opportunity to join us in continuing Martha’s story.

______________________________________________

Martha Cooper at Urban Nation Museum (photo ©Steven P. Harrington)

From the scholarship website and application:

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 professional photographers who use their photography in an effort to promote a positive impact on the world. The scholarship is based on the annual topic of Fresh A.I.R., the scholarship program 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 10th class starting in January 2025 and ending in December 2025.

___________

Thematic Call:
“I AM FLUX: The Freedom of Being and the Possibilities of Becoming”

Art can convey the relevance and complexity of themes of our time in unexpected ways.
Under the title “I AM FLUX: The Freedom of Being and the Possibilities of Becoming,« the 10th class
deals with the inexhaustible capacity for development and transformation of human beings and their
perspectives on themselves.


We encourage artists to critically examine selected socially relevant thematic complexes and apply with projects that contribute to raising awareness about the call’s contents and enriching ongoing discourses.

Within the framework of »I AM FLUX,« three thematic fields of action, namely »HORIZONS OF
BEING,« »WHISPERS OF EXISTENCE,« and »BEYOND LIMITS,« are being introduced. Project ideas
will be supported in which at least one of the three thematic focuses finds expression in the artistic works.


1. “HORIZONS OF BEING”
In the first thematic field of action, “HORIZONS OF BEING,” artists and cultural practitioners are invited
to investigate the multi-layered and dynamic nature of gender identity. Through artistic expressions, the
focus is primarily on embodiments, practices, and self-perceptions of people who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth.

Funding will be provided for:
• Projects that address the diversity and manifestation of gender identity and/or the development
and shaping of gender possibilities, realities, perceptions, and representations.
• Projects that identify and critically artistically reflect upon the current heteronormative hierarchical
structure of gender, both in its institutional and everyday routine forms.
• Projects that promote a broader conception of gender.


2. “WHISPERS OF EXISTENCE”
The second thematic field of action, »WHISPERS OF EXISTENCE,« is intended to emphasize the
metaphysical dimension of art. The imagination is intended to be challenged and expanded in diverse ways through artistic expression.

Funding will be provided for:
• Projects that place art as a metaphysical activity at the center, addressing and reflecting upon ontological questions.
• Projects that artistically process a transgression of the experiential reality of the natural self.


3. “BEYOND LIMITS”
The third field of action, »BEYOND LIMITS,« serves as a platform supporting the exploration of various
approaches through which art and creativity, in conjunction with other influences, endeavor to redefine
the boundaries of the human in new ways.
Funding will be provided for:
• Projects that aim to experimentally expand human potential or those centered around (self-)creation
within the imaginative space of natural or technological (further) development.
• Projects that examine ‘Creative Artificial Intelligence’ and the fundamentally changing possibilities of
artistic expression resulting from applying the latest technologies.
• Projects that delve into historical forms of surpassing bodily boundaries and explore the visions, opportunities, consequences, and dangers associated with them.


Application for a scholarship in 2025
Application deadline: Sunday, 21 April 2024
Applications are only accepted via Email: FreshAIR-office@stiftung-berliner-leben.de
For a successful application, please include the following documents:
• Curriculum vitae
• Project outline/description
• Budget plan


You can find further information about Fresh A.I.R. at

https://urban-nation.com/artist-in-residence-scholarships/

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Books in the MCL: City of Kings: A History of NYC Graffiti

Books in the MCL: City of Kings: A History of NYC Graffiti

As founding members of the Martha Cooper Library at the Urban Nation Museum in Berlin, Brooklyn Street Art (BSA) proudly showcases a monthly feature from the MCL collection, illuminating the extensive and diverse treasures we’re assembling for both researchers and enthusiasts of graffiti, street art, urban art, and its numerous offshoots. Below, we present one of our latest selections.


“A History of New York City GRAFFITI” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo

“City of Kings: A History of NYC Graffiti” is a crafted exploration of the graffiti scene’s historical roots in New York City. Born from a prominent exhibition co-curated by Al Diaz, Eric Felisbret, and Mariah Fox, this book transcends the role of a mere catalog to become a substantive text that presents a detailed overview of the graffiti movement in a structured, academic, and engaging manner.

Al Diaz, an original New York graffiti writer and a member of the influential SAMO© duo with Basquiat, not only shares his own contributions but also illuminates the collaborative history of the movement. He eloquently describes the perseverance of graffiti artists, painting a vivid picture of their dedication.” Click URBAN NATION BERLIN to continue reading.

“A History of New York City GRAFFITI” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)
“A History of New York City GRAFFITI” Books in the MCL. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)
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Book Review: Icy & Sot “Let Her Be Free” at MCL in Berlin

Book Review: Icy & Sot “Let Her Be Free” at MCL in Berlin

Let Her Be Free. Martha Cooper Libray at Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

MARTHA COOPER LIBRARY: BOOK RECOMMENDATION⁠

📖 | Title: ICY and SOT. Let Her Be Free
📚 | Media group: Book
🖋 | Authors: ICY (author); SOT (author)
🗓 | Year: 2016
💬 | Language: English

Text: Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo

Let Her Be Free. Martha Cooper Libray at Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

Let Her Be Free” chronicles the journey of Iranian brothers Icy and Sot as street artists and the evolution of their work over the decade from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s. The book showcases the brothers’ activism through their art and their efforts to bring attention to many important social and political issues, including human rights, women’s political and personal autonomy, environmental justice, migration, gun violence, capitalism, the effects of war, homelessness, police brutality, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, free speech, and child welfare.

Let Her Be Free. Martha Cooper Libray at Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

Growing up in Tabriz, Iran, Icy and Sot participated as teens in a street culture that encompassed skateboarding and a slowly burgeoning street art scene, perhaps feeding their desire for self-expression and personal activism. They began experimenting with different techniques and styles in places like Tehran, where local artists like A1one, Magoi, CK1, and Bigchiz dominated the street art scene, in turn inspiring others. As news of the emerging growth of street art in the West gained cultural currency on the Internet, the brothers were also influenced by international street artists such as Banksy, whom they looked up to as role models.

To learn more about the Martha Cooper Library at Urban Nation Museum Berlin and to continue reading the review, click HERE to go to the Urban Nation website.

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Various & Gould Go Face-to-Face With Community in Berlin-Spandau

Various & Gould Go Face-to-Face With Community in Berlin-Spandau

A great project has just emerged from the collaboration between Urban Nation Museum and the dynamic Berlin-based street art duo Various and Gould. This new addition to the ONE WALL series has been expertly curated by Michelle C. Houston, with valuable production support from YAP. The project bears the name ‘We all belong to this community’ (Wir alle hier gehören zum Wir). At a time when xenophobia has been on the rise in many Western societies, public art has taken on a crucial role in educating and reconnecting people and communities.

Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Workshop at youth center STEIG. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

What makes this project in the Berlin-Spandau district truly captivating is its engagement with local kids at a youth center through an inspiring art workshop. During this workshop, the artists introduced their mural concept and collaborated with the young participants to create captivating collages and individual portrait photos. The mural is an eclectic collage sketch that beautifully incorporates elements from the participants’ faces, effectively symbolizing a collective identity for the neighborhood.

Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Workshop at youth center STEIG. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

The artists behind this remarkable piece tell us, ‘Our mural is based on a collage from our ongoing Face Time series, which we initiated back in 2015 to celebrate human diversity and question conventional beauty standards.’ Throughout the mural’s creation, the artists meticulously inscribed numerous first names on the wall, including those of workshop participants and other individuals they encountered in the neighborhood. Remarkably, the project seemed to tap into the live pulse of community sentiment as kids and adults gathered on the sidewalk below, joyfully shouting out their names to be included in the mural. A local legend named Moha even stepped in to lend a helping hand by sending lists of names up to the artists’ phones.

Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Workshop at youth center STEIG. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

As Various notes, ‘When you paint a mural, it’s an exhilarating journey where every day and hour counts, and you must transform your sketch into a grand-scale masterpiece.’ It’s a process that demands intense concentration, all while under the watchful eyes of local residents. Gould adds, ‘Our playful approach might make it seem effortless, but each step of the way is filled with intensity.’ This is evident in instances such as when they found themselves stuck in a lift – and during the tumultuous, rainy hours when painting was challenging.

In essence, this mural project not only showcases the remarkable creative talents of the artists but also underscores the significance of community and diversity in the face of pressing societal issues like racism and exclusion. Their manner and message both serve as powerful reminders of the need for every member of society to feel valued and included.

Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Workshop at youth center STEIG. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Sebastian Kläbsch)

Various and Gould would like to express their gratitude and extend a heartfelt shout-out to Luis Limberg for his daily production assistance and offer many thanks to their fellow artist friend, Tavar Zawacki, who joined them for a day on the cherry picker, contributing to the project’s success. Our special thanks to Sebastian Kläbsch, Luis Limberg, and @MOHA for sharing their photographs with BSA readers.


Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © MOHA)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © V&G)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © MOHA)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © V&G)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © V&G)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © V&G)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © V&G)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)
Various & Gould. One Wall Project. Urban Nation Museum Berlin. Berlin-Spandau, Germany. (photo © Luis Limberg)

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Confronting Mental Health Challenges at UN Berlin / “Loneliness And Other False Friends”

Confronting Mental Health Challenges at UN Berlin / “Loneliness And Other False Friends”

PROJECT M/19 | LONELINESS AND OTHER FALSE FRIENDS

URBAN NATION has launched an exhibition to address mental health concerns and issues in today’s society. The exhibit was prompted by feedback from museum visitors, who were asked to suggest topics that needed to be discussed. UN reports that the majority of responses focused on mental health, and the exhibit is a response to this concern.

The featured artworks explore emotions and modern life’s stress on mental health. One of the main issues addressed in the exhibit is loneliness. The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened feelings of isolation and disconnectedness; with more people, particularly young people, reporting that they were experiencing anxiety, depression, and self-harm, often compounded by social media.

The exhibition Loneliness and Other False Friends is part of the M series that began a decade ago, now in its 19th edition, or Project M/19. Associated with the main museum’s current exhibition Talking… & Other Banana Skins aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and spark conversations about this critical topic. By showcasing these artworks, visitors are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences and the experiences of others, perhaps spurring meaningful discussions of a deeper quality.

As is often the case with the community-centered vision and voice of UN lead curator Michele Houston, the exhibit is an excellent opportunity to learn about mental health and how it affects individuals and society. Through transference and reflection, the exhibition may catalyze analysis of topics that are often elusive to describe or quantify, in this case providing visitors tools to countenance the emotional toll that modern life can take on people, raising awareness of the importance of mental health.

All images © courtesy of Urban Nation Museum

PROJECT M/19
LONELINESS AND OTHER FALSE FRIENDS
URBAN NATION Project Space
BÜLOWSTR. 97, 10783 BERLIN
EXHIBITION DURATION: 28 APRIL 2023 – 18 AUGUST 2023


ACCOMPANYING THE EXHIBITION
On the occasion of the ceremonial opening of LONELINESS AND OTHER FALSE FRIENDS and in conjunction with Gallery Weekend, URBAN NATION presents a programme beyond the exhibition. 5 Berlin-based artists will create new murals, to join what is collectively called the C-Walls (Community Walls). Each will reflect the exhibition theme on and around Bülowstraße.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
CARO PEPE, DEVITA, HONEY BEEBS, LAKE AND MATE.

All images © courtesy of Urban Nation Museum

The exhibition serves as a space for public discourse, conversations, and workshops.
Event highlights include a mural design with artist Honey Beebs in collaboration with the Anna Freud School. In addition, there is the art workshop “Talk about it” with artist Fehmi Baumbach and photographer Darius Ramazani in partnership with Freunde fürs Leben e.V. for children in grades 11 to 13.

Inside the exhibition, there is a large seating area where visitors are encouraged to
engage with the works and receive further reading material on mental health topics.

Bülowstrasse 7
10783 Berlin
Germany
info@urban-nation.com

Click HERE for more details, hours of operation, tickets, etc.

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