Lost Sounds…

http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/cafe.shtm

Lost Sounds is a project that started with Rolf Julius, Miki Yui and Rie Nakajima in 2009 with the idea to explore sounds, the environment, objects and one’s visual acoustic perception. For the Lost Sound performance at Café Oto on 11th February 2011 Miki and Julius developed the idea and the concept together. Sadly Rolf passed away on the 21.January 2011 and the project now continues without his physical presence. There is an installation in the window of Café Oto, where I found myself listening to a stone.

IRANIAN BODIES

Artist: Narmine Sadeg , Title:  Balancing Figures Man and Woman. Mixed Medium.

Artist: Nikoo Tarkhani From a series : This is not a woman. Acrylic on Canvas.

In view of the recent political tensions in Iran , this is a timely exhibition for shifting the focus and highlighting the developing art scene coming from this region. Janet Rady together with renown curator writer and art critic Edward Lucie Smith has chosen to represent Fereydoun Ave, Mitra Farahani, Ramin Haerizadeh, Narmine Sadeg, Nikoo Tarkhani in a show at Werkstatt Gallery in Berlin, with works that currently would be banned in its country of origin because of the imposed ban on representing nudity and visual eroticsim publicly. The artists in the show do not live permanently in Iran but operate on the international art scene. But when I look at the work proposed, there is no doubt that each of the artists are working  toward  presenting  an Iranian identity within their work and reference  in Iran’s rich cultural and poetic history. On view will be a courageous and visually striking display of visual art addressing taboo’s in the face of Iranian people present struggle with “the judges of morality.” Three woman and two men artists who each offer a very different approach to the subject and throw open new meanings and questions about  the relationship of the body and mind in their contribution to the rapidly changing cultural milieu in both Iran and the international art stage.

Janet Rady Fine Art represents some of the best and exciting artists emerging out of Iran today. This exhibition promises to be a treat by way of artistic accomplishments and intellectual inspiration.

Recommended and at :

http://www.werkstattgalerie.org/exhibitions

Werkstattgalerie
Eisenacher Str. 6
D-10777 Berlin
Nähe Nollendorfplatz U1-U4, Bus M19, 187
Opening Hours: Tu-Fr 12-20h, Sa 12-18h
Phone: +49.30.21002158
Mail: info@werkstattgalerie.org
<a href="<a href="http://www.janetradyfineart.co.uk”>
http://www.edwardlucie-smith.co.uk/Biography.htm

A Stroll around Kreuzberg

Strolling around Kreuzberg so famous for its Street Art and Graffiti everywhere
I came across this famous piece by Blu in Cuvry Strasse which leads down to the river Spree. I have heard said in London recently that Street Art is dead. Not so in Berlin the European Capital of the Street Art just hosted Grafftitibox Summer Jam at the Ostbahnhof for the week end attracting 200 or so sprayers which were provided with plenty of walls to work on. The scene is international and gets progressively younger with artists as young as 12years old taking part.

http://www.ilovegraffiti.de/en/2009/08/09/graffitibox-jam-2009-impressions

Walk on down from Cuvry Strasse along Schlessige Strasse and you will come to Flutgraben and the Berlin Arena. A multi complex used for events concerts plus an artists studio complex. I spent Sunday Evening there at the Badeschiff. A swimming pool designed originally for a competition in 2004 by Artist Susanne Lorenz. This Pool in the middle of the river glows azure and is lit at night in the middle of the river Spree. I got there around ten o’clock at night and people lounged on wooden platforms playing cards with their feet in sand or relaxed and gently swayed in hammocks, while the band played brazilian inspired jazz.
The pool opens at 8’oclock in the morning for serious swimmers and in the evening the opening time is typically berlin openended. Check it out here!

http://www.arena-berlin.de/badeschiff.aspx

Neighbours in Potsdamer Strasse Berlin

My neighbours and neighbourhood in 91, Potsdamer Strasse Berlin

She with the amazing hairstyle the lips outlined in white to match the rest of her accessories and the dangling crosses for earrings and high lined eyebrows, introduced herself as Mrs. Ilona Lo. L…o…

Das Freie Museum Berlin

“http://www.freies-museum.de/index.php”&gt;

Hi All!
This has been an action packed few days in and around Kreuzberg. And I have had an exciting time getting to know artists performers and street artists here in Berlin all thanks to my friend Marianna Wagner Simon who organises a lot of art exhibitions and projects here. She is about to open a new art space called Das Freie Museum in an old red brick warehouse at 91 Potsdamer Strasse . Plans for artist studio spaces and residences are under way plus and exhibition space for emerging and established artists.
The website is in construction at http://www.freies-museum.de and anyone interested in renting a studio only or a live work space for 4 Euro/sqm short term or long term please write to : marianne.wagner@freies-museum.de Also available is:
Exhibition space for established and emerging artists is available and curatorial proposals are welcome.
http://www.freies-museum.de/index.php

Still in Berlin

The warm weather got everyone to sit out in cafes and restaurants in Kreuzberg. I had to be careful not to get run over on one of the many bicycle tracks that run alongside and are part of the wide pavements. At this time of year the air is perfumed with the lime flowers from the trees that line almost every avenue here in short it is very pleasant and I have decided that Kreuzberg is my preferred area in Berlin it is certainly the most visually exciting and is busy with a friendly vibe where people are always ready to chat. I had a good meal and excellent wine at the small bar called Schlesishe Blau in Kopernicke Strasse. From the main street it feels like walking into someone’s living room, with pots of soup gently warming on an old woodstove where everyone can help themselves for as many bowls as you want for a mere 4 EU, they also offer a 4 course menu for 14 EU and I must say the cherry strudel was delicious too.

From about 200 different events scheduled for just one week end I got to see the Gay Pride Festival that was celebrated with a grand procession in the main Streets in Mitte and a few alternative Art Openings. As part of the Festival of Russian Contemporary Art we saw German Vinogradov from Moscow he has been working as a performance artist for the last 20 years. I just caught the end of one of his sound pieces in Sophien Hofe in Mitte, on Saturday. He is a big burly man who performed nude apart from the blow torch strapped around his waist and lower parts sporting a big fury tail He cut an extraordinary figure as he weaved in and out of the sound-sculptures playing the silver guitar accompanied by his wild Russian texts, my camera was not working so you just have to imagine the rest or catch him at his next performance! Also in Sophien Hofe upstairs we saw perform the group Animal Cops , thought they were great and very entertaining and yes girls came accompanied by dogs, people did not get naked but joined in with whistles and dance for a great sounds cape. Animal Cops see: http://www.myspace.com/animalcops
“The music style relies on catchy melodies with rockin and skankin guitar riffs, and an electro crash back beat. The texts are a mix of Russian , English and German. The live show comprises of theatrical elements sometimes with video from Perm born DimaZe – audiences are invited to bring their pets and get naked.”

East Street Gallery in Berlin

<ins datetime="2009-06-28T18:01:15+00:00

Renovation Works on the East Side Gallery is expected to be completed in time for the 20th anniversary in November. It is the world’s longest open-air gallery and was decorated by 118 artists from 21 countries in 1990. I met Dimitry Vrubel from Moscow famous for the”Brother Kiss” and asked him
how it feels to be re-painting the mural after all these years. “Wonderful “, he sais, “then I was hungry and did not know where my next meal was going to come from”. Now I have been given 2 month time and plenty of paints to work with!” He has his own blog see link below:
http://dmitrivrubel.livejournal.com/