Skylar | iHeartBerlin.de

The Cloud: A Cosmo-Choreography

Fifteen minutes into the performance, I finally came to understand the relevance of its name, The Cloud. A smoke machine puffed out a billowing mass, which slowly engulfed the audience as the piece progressed. I watched, swayed by the condensed water vapor that was swirling and gliding through the atmosphere of the Sophiensaele theatre. A few audible sounds soon amalgamated with the clouds and brought the audience to places seldom travelled. Drone-like music preluded the cinematic soundscapes, which were followed by indecipherable dialogue. The cloud engulfs you until you feel alone in the theatre, but the rustling and chirping assure you of close company. Soon I began to realize that with every breath I took, I was holding in the cloud, causing a disturbance in the atmosphere. But that’s exactly what this is about—everything disturbs, influences and creates something else. Catch a glimpse of this immersive performance piece with our photos after the jump. Also we are raffling 2×2 tickets to our readers. Find out how to participate after the jump.

Sounds of Black – Backstage with Augustin Teboul

by Skylar | Fashion, Photos

photos: Olga Khristolyubova

For the German/French duo of Odély Teboul and Annelie Augustin, Berlin Fashion Week always meant more than sending models down a runway in their collections. The Woolmark Prize winners of 2014 are well known for their extravagant fashion performances. This year Augustin Teboul decided to photograph personalities that reflect their label, wearing their new Fall/Winter 2015/16 collection, which they displayed as a gallery exhibition in the gorgeous Kronprinzenpalais, along with a live show using two staircases as opposed to a runway. The photographs of various artists were taken in Berlin by Stefan Milev, and published in a magazine titled “Sounds of Black,” suitably representing their latest collection. This season, the pair drew inspiration from the personalities they photographed, captivated by the unification of their strength and fragility. They channeled this into their line while continuing to speak through the mystery of black garments, experimenting with materials, crafting knit sweaters with ornate embroidery, patchwork dresses with leather and pleats and wool coats with lacquer trim. Our photographer Olga went backstage to have a glance into the preparation process. Styled by Wella Professional their look could not have been more sophisticated. Enjoy the photographic impressions after the jump.

The 8 Best Womenswear Collections of Berlin Fashion Week

by Skylar | Fashion, Photos

photos: Mercedes-Benz Fashion

Berlin Fashion Week has passed by once again, and this bi-annual style extravaganza brought us lots to look forward to with the amazing Autumn/Winter 2015/16 Womenswear collections presented. Featuring an interesting line-up of local and international designers, this Fashion Week focused on providing a platform for lesser known talents and up-and-coming contemporary brands. Fashion Week filled the city with stylish parties, impeccable street style, and of course, fashion shows that set the bar pretty high for the years to come. We reviewed the Womenswear collections and gathered the 8 that caught our attention. Click on to see which designers made the cut!

Twinpigs: A Damn Fine Cocktail Bar

by Skylar | Bars, Neukölln

Since their opening in April 2014, friends have been telling me to check out the charismatic new Neukölln watering hole, Twinpigs, and the hype has only been building. I’m quite fond of the type of neighborhood bar that doesn’t seem to disappoint (who isn’t?) and as I stepped into Twinpigs for the first time, I knew it was going to be the first of many. The brainchild of a Chilean architect and a Swedish filmmaker, Twinpigs literally happened overnight. After deciding to open their own bar, the two seized the opportunity to take over the serendipitously freed space of a former Boddinstraße speakeasy. After putting in a lot of hard work, love, creativity and dedication, Twinpigs was born. If you enjoy strong drinks, craft beer, and a great atmosphere, click on and see why Twinpigs should be your new favourite hangout.

Tanztage Berlin 2015: Flaming Lamborghini // Los Angeles

by Skylar | Theater

Tanztage, now in its 24th edition, is showcasing some of the most creative pieces in contemporary theatre, dance and performance art with a marathon spanning 11 days at Sophiensæle. Shining the spotlight on the up-and-coming choreographic talents of Berlin, the festival is putting their thematic focus on the interdisciplinary nature of many young artists who express themselves not only through dance, but various other mediums as well. Through the use of movement and sound, their performances result in a powerful commentary on issues present in contemporary pop culture. I saw two amazing performances today that challenged my perception of the performing arts—Vincent Riebeek’s Flaming Lamborghini and Noha Ramadan’s Los Angeles—both of which caught me completely off-guard. The former was as sexy as it was shocking while the latter was staggering and transformative. Read on to find out more about these performances and see some photos that are sure to allure you into the world of dance.

Exploring Berlin: The Hotspots of Wedding & Gesundbrunnen

by Skylar | Bars, Cafés, Clubs, Restaurants, Wedding

Neighboring districts Wedding and Gesundbrunnen can be seen as the Northern counterpart to the hip district of Neukölln, with its numerous cafés, bars, clubs and meeting points. Less gentrified than some other districts, these neighborhoods attract a more mature, eccentric and mixed crowd, and houses many attractions to accommodate. We’ve scouted out some interesting places to check out, whether you’re in the mood for a weekend of partying or just taking a stroll through the park. Click on to see the places loved by locals, and venture into some the coolest places in Wedding and Gesundbrunnen.

You’re Just Too Good to be True – Juergen Teller & Tal R

by Skylar | Art

photo: Meike Männel

There’s a new exhibition in town, and this is one you don’t want to miss. Not only is this show curated and organized by Juergen Teller and TAL R, but it features the work of both of their students from the last couple of years. Juergen Teller is a German fine art and high fashion photographer leading the fashion-photography game right now, as the creative mind behind unforgettable ad campaigns for designers such as Helmut Lang, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood and Marc Jacobs. Teller has been working with Marc Jacobs (likely his most recognized collaborator) for almost 20 years, and the photographer has since brought his raw and uncommissioned images to the public eye through magazines such as i-D, W Magazine, Dazed & Confused and “All the Vogues.” (Remember when his refusal to photograph Miley Cyrus made headlines?)

TAL R is a Copenhagen-based artist who works with an experimental variety of mediums. TAL R’s paintings initially struck me as pieces that one must truly immerse themselves in—seemingly lacking in aesthetic detail while concurrently speaking volumes of subcultural influence. Whereas in the past, the artist was known to apply oil paint to canvas, he now defines his work as a hot pot in which he throws in ‘all kinds of material.’ (Said materials range from animal glue mixed with pigments to pencils, chalk and wax crayons.) His pieces and style act as a fresco commentary on the seemingly mundane, ordinary life.

Together with the Contemporary Fine Arts gallery here in Berlin, the two artists and professors are set to co-host and organize an exhibition in which the works of their students will be on display. Teller will be showing works by his Nuremberg Academy class, while Tal R will be featuring a selection of his favourites from the entire period in which he has been lecturing, spanning 9 years. Considering the artists come from two different backgrounds, it will be exciting to see the considerable variation in the works presented. Click on to see some of the photographs, paintings, sculpture and mixed-media pieces that will be on display! On the night of the opening Juergen Teller himself asked the visitors to undress and get photographed naked (and quite a lot of them did so) . The pictures of the naked Berliners are on display until the end of the exhibition. More impressions after the jump.

New Year’s Eve in Berlin – A Dinner & Party Guide

by Skylar | Party

Every year, Berlin’s highly anticipated New Years Eve festivities draw over 1 million people to the city, both locals and tourists alike. With our world famous celebrations and vast array of destinations and events, it can be easy to get caught up in the frenzy. In the past years, you may have found yourself in less-than-desirable situations, like indecision when it comes to all the restaurants with delicious New Year’s Eve menus and hopping from party to party only to be in a cab stuck in traffic when the clock strikes midnight. With the remarkable things that happened this year, we all deserve to indulge in a great night in this special city. We’ve curated a helpful guide featuring places to dine and party, so you can focus on the celebrations! Look back on 2014, surround yourself with loved ones, and get excited about all the wonderful opportunities and experiences the New Year will bring. Click on to check out the hottest restaurants and parties happening this New Year’s Eve.

The Most Amazing Tattoo Artists in Berlin

by Skylar | Art, Shops

I got sucked into the tattoo world via stick n poke (read: prison tat) of a very unintentionally abstract and barely identifiable jellyfish. Who would have guessed that this regrettable arrangement of dots poked into my arm (with an unsanitary sewing needle and pen-ink) by a strange boy in our inebriated stupor would have lead me into the world of what is now one of my favourite forms of art: tattoos. We all have different approaches to tattoos—some of us sit on an idea or design for months, even years before getting it permanently engraved into our bodies, and some of us (myself included) have been known to get inked on impulse. Acquiring a collection of tattoos on your body has become a prominent form of self-expression, especially in the art and fashion world, and it came as no surprise that we found many tattoo artists taking root in Berlin, rendering a whole spectrum of life to their art and etching stories into blank canvases of skin. Click on to check out 10 Berlin-based tattoo artists and studios that really grabbed our attention.

Cinéma de Mode: Viktoria Modesta – Prototype

by Skylar | Art, Fashion

At first glance, what captured my attention about Viktoria Modesta was the look in her eyes—they’re alluring, burning with ambition and sex appeal—and then, as the camera pans down in the music video for her single Prototype, I noticed something strange. A needle held by surgical-gloved hands rose into the air, as did a gleaming knife marked in red, while she sat there in her thrown, surrounded by red-robed characters. We go on to discover that she sports a prosthetic left leg, seen as a source of power and revolution throughout the music video, which was made for Channel 4’s Born Risky campaign set to challenge society’s stereotypes. And she does exactly that, strutting and dancing with a with a Swarovski leg and a bionic leg that gives Lady Gaga a run for her money, as the story raises her to a higher power, worshipped by the younger generation in secrecy. Many girls grow up dreaming of becoming pop stars, complete with a media-generated idea of the perfect body image. And now British singer, songwriter and model Viktoria Modesta is here to stomp all over that. Check out this rising star and fashion muse with her iconic leg, as well as the music video for Prototype after the jump.

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