Berlin Berlin Berlin

This summer I have been lucky enough to visit Berlin on a family holiday. Having been many times before but only as a kid, I wasn't sure what to expect but looked forward to experiencing what the city has to offer in a more mature and independent light.

Known for its diverse culture, intense history, bold architecture, yummy wheat beer and amazing street art, I wanted to make the most of the trip and absorb as much as possible. 

Starling
Just before leaving, I came across a new piece of street art in Berlin by Netherlands artists Super A and Collin van der Sluijs on the Colossal website. Link: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2016/08/giant-starling-mural-in-berlin-by-collin-van-der-sluijs-and-super-a/

Collin van der Sluijs

Super A

Both are truly awesome artists and I couldn't pass up the chance to visit this area of Berlin and get a glimpse of the 'Starling'...

 

We were based in West Berlin and after finding out that the address for this mural was in Tegal - a 1hr 20 bike ride to the outskirts of the opposite side of Berlin - I was a little dubious. We had bikes to ride around the city on but getting used to riding on the other side of the road and dealing with the mad Berlin rush hour traffic wasn't ideal. Me and my boyfriend set off on our adventure super early in the morning to find the 'Starling' piece and after a 45 minute slog and getting very very lost I had had enough and the need for coffee and food in the 28•C heat suddenly became my priority. 

Feeling gutted and disappointed in myself for not making it to see this beautiful piece of artwork, we gave the stressful ride up as a bad job and turned the bikes around to face the traffic, red lights, and hoards of people on their way to work once again. Knowing a lot about Berlin and having friends to stay with there, i plan on making another trip in the new year specifically aimed at the creative culture in the city. My main plan is to travel around and visit galleries, exhibitions, artists in residents and locate a lot of the street art - so I have no doubt that I will get another opportunity to see this piece in the future - and may decide upon public transport this time instead of cycling in rush hour!!

Throughout the journey I had been keeping an eye out for interesting and bold architecture, in particular 'Brutalist' architecture due to a shared interest my family and I have in it. So when the hunt for the Starling piece had been abandoned, my boyfriend and I decided to stop by a brutalist building on our way back on the bikes to meet my family.

From what we new, the building is in fact a church and one of the 3 most iconic pieces of brustalist architecture in Berlin.

St Agnes Church, Kreuzberg

Arriving at the church didn't disappoint and the bold line, shape and structure of the building was far away from what I expected a church to look like. 

Hovering outside for a while taking photos and having a snoop, we soon realised that this building was no longer a church but is currently being used as separate buildings to house different create businesses such as an underground Berlin gay magazine, The New York University head quarters and a brand new gallery http://www.st-agnes.net/

We tried to get in to have a look at the gallery, but it was before opening time and so were turned away. Taking a few last photos and getting ready to bike off for some brunch, I was approached by a man standing outside of the building having a cigarette. 

Gregory turned out to be the director of the St Agnes gallery and was such an interesting guy. With a background in Architecture and originally from Hamburg, Gregory very kindly offered to give us a private tour of the gallery and the contemporary pieces within.

Not wanting to come across as rude or disrespectful, I didn't manage to take any photos of the pieces within the gallery or of the building from the inside, but it all took my breath away. Very large graffiti style paintings, mirrored black and white photographs of cathedral ceilings and thought provoking sculptures featured within the exhibition including work from artist Daniel Turner. What an amazing turn around for the morning and a highlight of the trip for sure. Great to see such interesting contemporary artwork housed within such an iconic building.

Here are some photos of the pieces and exhibition I have been able to find online:

The original church and architecture 

Interesting links:
• http://www.koeniggalerie.com/news/121/st-agnes-winner-of-2016-berlin-architecture-prize/
• https://www.facebook.com/johannkoenigberlingallery/
• https://www.facebook.com/St-Agnes-200435190067208/
















Brutalist
Other examples of awesome brutalist architecture that i was lucky enough to see in the city:

• Research Institute for Experimental Medicine 
(FEM, formerly ZTL – Central Animal Laboratory)

• The Czech Embassy

• Klinikum Am Urban - The only hospital in Kreuzberg

The Wall

A visit to Berlin would not be complete without checking out the famous Berlin Wall at the East-side gallery. Moving original and protected artwork lines one side of the remaining walls, kept behind tall wire fences, and the other side has a memorial dedicated to the devastation in current Syrian conflict which includes recent photographs of individuals affected and their personal stories. What remains of this huge piece of history stands tall in the city, as a monument not to remind of bad times but as a testament to freedom and what can be achieved by a city and its people pulling together for a brighter more prosperous and successful future.

I found this whole area to be incredibly moving. To stand so close to a wall which divided everyone - no matter who you were - for over 25 years. So many people died here desperately trying to cross the border to see loved ones which had been separated from them without warning one morning, cultures, economy, wealth and common views divided - East vs West. What I found incredible was the artwork on the walls. The impact which creativity had on this city, used as a tool to hit back at the system and fight for freedom and what was right. Many parts of the wall were chipped away at, broken off and sold when it was torn down in 1989 however here are some pictures of what still stands.

Further Street Art and Interesting Finds

What has inspired me from the trip (notes to self)

• Street / public art / graffiti with a message to reflect, inspire and make a difference
• History and its impact on ever-changing urban culture
Bold architecture
Large scale city, large scale artwork

Junior Design Jobs - The "How To" Lowdown

http://www.creativebloq.com/advice/how-to-get-that-first-junior-designer-job-then-take-things-further


I recently came across this creative article talking specifically about junior design jobs within the creative industry and the best way to go about securing that 'dream' job. 

Still a bit unsure of the best path for me post uni, I am open to all manners of advice and suggestions when thinking about the future of my practice and how to get to where I want to be. This article helps to generalise key points to consider and apply when stepping out into the big bad world, from interview techniques to creative outlooks and portfolio / skill advice.



Main advice and points to take on board:

"There are more graduates out there than vacancies, so a killer design portfolio isn't always enough, you need to do everything you can to make prospective employers take notice of you and, more importantly, want to have you around."

"You need to be curious to be a good designer,"

"Be collaborative, not precious or possessive."

"It's important that you take our client list seriously, but you shouldn't take yourself too seriously"

Michael Bierut points out that design is "almost always about something else"

• Ask lots of questions, not only of the interviewers but in daily life of the world around you and industry you plan on entering.
• Ask questions of those who I work with, so as to minimise mistakes and not look like an idiot in front of industry professionals
• Pay attention, listen to the answers to those all important questions. Take notes, make plans, be clear on what it is that is being asked of me
• Always give my all and be willing to participate and excel even if I am not 100% excited about the brief or task in hand
• Collaborate, be part of a team and work with others to reach the best end result. 2 heads are better than 1 therefore involve and make use of my peers so everyone can feel responsible and proud of the outcome
• Be personable, fun and enjoyable to be around while taking the right things seriously such as work, tasks, clients and time management. In interview - its not just the portfolio which gets you the job - employers must want to have you around also.
• Understanding of digital software and coding such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery are beneficial skills to have in the design industry. Online workshops and helpful tutorials: Code Academy,Code.org, Code Avengers and Code School. 
• Master public speaking to feel more comfortable in guaranteed task such as project proposals, presentations and client pitches. Confidence and belief in what you are doing is key.
• Stay interested in all that is around me. Keep up to date with the latest new, trends and other areas of creativity and culture to help keep diverse and my ideas fresh and innovative. "don't immerse yourself in design and designers, and forget there's a whole world out there."

Great site: http://www.creativebloq.com/