All posts tagged: Urban Nation Museum Berlin

Martha Cooper Library / MCL PRESENTS #4: Political Graffiti

Martha Cooper Library / MCL PRESENTS #4: Political Graffiti

For the 4th installment of the Martha Cooper Library at Urban Nation Berlin’s series MCL Presents, the theme for discussion will be Graffiti and politics. Many people have argued that all art is political, and, graffiti wouldn’t be an exception. From the American writer Toni Morrison who famously declared “All good art is political! There is none that isn’t. And the ones that try hard not to be political are political by saying, ‘We love the Status quo.’ To the American performing artist Lin-Manuel Miranda who wrote in an article for The Atlantic “All art is political. In tense, fractious times—like our current moment—all art is political. But even during those times when politics and the future of our country itself are not the source of constant worry and anxiety, art is still political.” The MCL Librarian Mrs. Eveline Wilson will lead the talk with hosts René Kästner, Sven Niemann, and a mystery surprise host.

Talk with René Kästner, Sven Niemann, and a special guest from a street art crew

February 29, 2024, 6.00 to 7.30 pm
URBAN NATION Museum | Bülowstr. 7, 10783 Berlin

Vandalism or message? Sprayers reach for the can when they want to convey a political message to a broad audience in highly visible and public places. The volume “Political Graffiti” was recently published in the Guernica Society’s “Art and Politics” series. René Kästner and Sven Niemann discuss graffiti as a tool of political agency with an artist from an internationally renowned street art crew.

For more details and information about the guests and related exhibitions at the museum click HERE

René Kästner (photo courtesy of Martha Cooper Library. Urban Nation Berlin)
Sven Niemann (photo courtesy of Martha Cooper Library. Urban Nation Berlin)
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MCL PRESENTS #2 “URBAN ART IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS”

MCL PRESENTS #2 “URBAN ART IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS”

A discussion with the artists Sebastian Wandl, Honey & Philip Wallisfurth

We’re pleased to invite you to a discussion about climate change at the Martha Cooper Library (MCL) at Urban Nation in Berlin about a new book by author Xavier Tapies called “Graffiti in Times of Climate Crisis”.

The book examines the role of street art in addressing environmental issues and promoting sustainability. In it, Tapies focuses on how street artists and graffiti writers use their art to raise awareness about climate change and ecological degradation. The upcoming book release will join others by Tapies called “Street Art and the War on Terror: How the World’s Best Graffiti Artists Said No to the Iraq War,” “Le Street Art au fEminin”, “WHERE’S BANKSY?”, and “Street Art in the Time of Corona”.

Sebastian Wandl, previous UN artist residency recipient. (Photo ©Urban Nation)

As we consider the role of artists as activists, one wonders if there is an appropriate response to the cascading events caused by climate change as expressed in our cities by artists. Keeping the real questions on the forefront, including what agendas may be behind large multi-national backed agencies setting goals for us, the discerning artist will have to study the issues first – so it’s great to have this book as a jumping-off point.

Graffiti writer Honey (photo copyright HONEY)

These and other issues will be discussed by three persons active on the current graffiti/street art scene, including Philip Wallisfurth (Senor Schnu), who has been active on the street and inside installations in Germany since 2007, Munich-based illustrator and painter Sebastian Wandl (aka WANDAL) who brings skateboarding and hip hop culture to his work, and style writer HONEY, who has been at the game since 2018 in a still male-dominated graffiti scene.

Photo © Philip Wallisfurth (Senor Schnu)

31.03.2023, 18:00 until 20:00
Admission 17:30

URBAN NATION
Bülowstr. 7
10783 Berlin

Click HERE for more details about this event.

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

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Fallen Angels in Berlin

Fallen Angels in Berlin

Urban Nation’s fallen angels looked appropriate as this weekend Berlin commemorated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the wall.

Outings Project for Urban Nation Museum Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A Renaissance image recurring in those dark tumultuous paintings, Abrahamic religions have used the term “fallen angels” to describe those sinning angels who are cast out of heaven. These particular ostracized beauties are unnamed by Julien de Casabianca of the Outings Project who wheatpasted these to precipitate alongside the Bulowstrasse in the Schöneberg district. While orange and red and yellow leaves fell and swirled through the air of Berlin streets the crisp air and sunlight made this dark scene less harrowing, even hopeful.

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