After being founded in the 12th century as the capital of Prussia and moving on to become the capital of the German Empire in 1871, Berlin has had a gruelling and interesting history. The city played major roles in both World Wars, was the epicentre of the Cold War and has been on the slow road to recovery since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Thierry Noir played an integral part in establishing this new found voice. After moving from France to Berlin in 1984, he’s considered one of the first street artists to paint the Berlin Wall and, together with Christophe Bouchet, is believed to have painted approximately 4000km worth of murals. Some of his work can still be seen today at the East Side Gallery.
Thierry squatted in Mariannenplatz when he first arrived in 1984 with nothing but two small suitcases. Squatting is still a common practice for artists in Berlin, as it goes through new stages of gentrification and housing becomes more expensive.
Blu is another artist who has painted his way around Berlin, mostly in the Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte. His unique style and large murals take inspiration from the city’s history and immediate surrounds to impart a subtle political message.
Berlin is home to a myriad of artists whose pieces are constantly going up all over the city. There’s always an exhibition and loads of other cool stuff happening off the streets as well; I recently checked out the Druck Screen Printing Festival at an abandoned pool, which featured artists like Blu, Banksy and Victor Ash.
Druck Berlin Screen Printing Festival
Dates: 2014 dates coming soon. Check Facebook for updates.
I’ll leave you with this stop-motion film created by Blu, not specifically painted in Berlin but too good to miss all the same.
Get all up in the hottest local knowledge from our troupe of Contiki Insiders:
The Graffiti Guide To Unveiling Berlin’s Street Art (Part One, Part Two and Part Three)
The Epicurean Guide To Chowing Down On Asia’s Best Eats (Fancy French and Luxe Budget Eats Editions)
The Skateboarder’s Guide To Australia’s Best Skate Spots (Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra Editions)
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