Tag Archives: drawing in berlin

Wandelism in Wilmersdorf!

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limo destruction at Wandelism March 16 2018 by Suzanne ForbesI finally got out to visit the Berlin graffiti/street art community!

I’ve been wanting to start documenting this huge and crucial part of Berlin’s art scene since we got here. But it just hadn’t worked out until now.

This week I heard about an art installation, an Urban Art Temple, called Wandelism.

Denis and Marina at Wandelism March 16 2018 by Suzanne Forbes

And it was only three subway stops away! So I contacted the organizer and was invite to come by and make drawings of the artists at work. Work was wrapping up but I met some lovely folks and got to sketch some of the action. Everyone was super friendly and chill. I met Marina Zumi, one of the artists, who had the coolest Jessica Jones vibe going on, and Denis Leo Hegic, who was documenting the event with a camera guy.

Artist on scaffold at Wandelism by Suzanne Forbes March 16 2018I was very happy to begin connecting with this community, which is both so familiar and so different.

There is a great range of works in the Wandelism Temple. There are murals, pieces, large scale flaming sculptures made with played cans, scale models of trains (I want one for my action figure dollhouse so badly!) and entire rooms painted up by individual artists. You can reserve a time for a guided tour here, or come to the vernissage on Saturday March 17 at 3pm. You can see tantalizing pics on Instagram here!

Art team at Wandelism March 16 2018 by Suzanne ForbesI was shocked to see everyone wearing masks, like AT-8 and Damian Yves Rohde here.

In my day the idea of graffiti artists wearing masks just hadn’t occurred to anybody, and if it had, none of us would have had money for them. Although of course they could have been racked from Pearl Paint like cans, I guess!

Young artist at Wandelism March 15 2018 by Suzanne ForbesWe just called what you spit up after a long night “technicolor phlegm.”

Much better to protect your lungs and health, so you can have a long working life. My people died young, mostly, and there is grief in revisiting the graffiti world for me, but also hope and joy. Like the sight of this young woman artist, Alice Gruen, drawing in her book. I’m looking forward to the opening on Saturday!!

As always, I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to document Berlin life and art!

Souls of Berlin.

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M at Ludwig by Suzanne Forbes feb 28 2018M. posed for this drawing at Ludwig on Valentine’s Day, while telling us stories.

She was born on the same continent I was; nowadays she identifies as a “Citizen of the World”, and teaches German here in Berlin. She’s lived all over the planet; maybe all the experience is what keeps her so young. My friend Maurus, who owns Ludwig, calls the beautiful photos he takes of his guests “Souls of Ludwig“. I love the idea that we are all souls, meeting here in this world.

Sarah Omar and Sara at ESDIP Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Feb 28 2018I drew these folks at ESDIP Berlin during a meeting.

We were talking about the schedule for the Illustration Intensive course for the summer, when we get students from all over the world. Sara is from Spain, Omar is from Ecuador, and Sarah is from the UK. But we were all united by a discussion of how appallingly expensive, and yet wildly desirable, the new iPad Pro with the stylus is.

Berlin is a place for all souls to freely be themselves.

And I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to tell these stories.