How many ways can you experience Berlin? The possibilities are truly endless. With people from over 190 countries, Berlin has no shortage of different perspectives, environments, and activities. We may take the city’s diversity for granted sometimes, but we wanted to slow down to appreciate the special things different cultures bring to Berlin.
Today, we’re taking you on a Brazilian tour of Berlin. Following previous excursions into the Polish, Turkish, Italian and Syrian communities we now want to take a closer look at what the people from the South American land of plenty have brought to the city. Read on to see our favorite pieces of Brazil sprinkled throughout the city.
Arts + Culture
DJ Grace Kelly
DJ Grace Kelly is well known in Berlin for her strong presence in the queer music scene. Her music is a take on Afro-Brazilian music, with Latin American, electro and house, oriental breakbeats and eastern European rhythms mixed in. Beyond her involvement in the international DJ community in Berlin, DJ Grace Kelly is a social activist and one of the members of MashUp, a queer collective that created the MashUp party.
photos: Liz Ketcham
Pornceptual
Berlin party staple Pornceptual is celebrating its sixth anniversary this weekend. Founded by Brazilians Raquel Fedato and Chris Phillips, Pornceptual has grown from being an online gallery for erotic art to a magazine and techno party celebrating sexuality and eroticism. In our eyes, Pornceptual has reigned in a new era of sex positivity and sexual freedom in Berlin’s nightlife.
La By’le
La By’le is a Baile funk band based in Berlin with strong Brazilian roots. Founded by Brazilian singer Tâmara Vinhas and German-Brazilian singer and producer Cara Muru, the two had the idea to fuze Brazilian baile funk with German hip-hop, Afro music, and slow reggaeton to bring a new sound to Berlin. The duo is joined by Luana Madikera, the third member of the band.
AwesomeBerlin
Bored of life in your kiez and all your usual hangout spots? Get outside of your comfort zone and find something awesome to do on awesomeberlin.net! Founded by Tulio Edreira de Lacerda and currently run by Domingos Ruiz Lepores, Awesome Berlin has quickly become a great resource for discovering new things in the city.
photos: AwesomeBerlin
Rafael Medina
Rafael Medina is a Brazilian photographer who specializes in capturing the goings-on of Berlin’s famous party scene. His work explores sexuality, gender, and body acceptance, and aims to give visibility to queer and dissident bodies. He is also one of the photographers from our Uncensored Berlin exhibition project.
photos: Rafael Medina
Todo Corpo Dança, by Artur Hiroyuki
Todo Corpo Dança (All Bodies Dance) aims to develop mind and body awareness through dance. Brazilian Artur Hiroyuki is a dancer and coordinator for the group. He teaches and lives between São Paulo and Berlin. Dance allows him to connect people across the globe. Don’t worry if you didn’t grow up popping, locking, and doing the splits, Todo Corpo Dança is for everyone. Join Artur for a dance walk through Berlin!
Luisa Zimmer Ritter
Luísa Zimmer Ritter is a young painter who currently lives in Berlin. Luísa uses the idea of memory as well as old photographs of her family as inspiration for her work. Playful, yet heavy brushstrokes smear thick paint across her canvases to create a beautiful image of how we relate to memories.
Juergen Cannes
Juergen Cannes is a young independent illustrator and poet living in Berlin. He uses fantastical creatures in his playful works and a sense of whimsy to communicate deeper emotions. One of my favorites, and one that every Berliner can relate to, says, “every day, the U Bahn takes away the love of my life.” Currently, he’s working on a project called “Garotos Bonitos,” or beautiful boys, to talk about homophobia in Brazil, the number one country for most murders motivated by homophobia.
Rodrigo Guima
Social artist and lover of urbanism, Rodrigo Guima holds love and street life close to his heart. These motifs make regular appearances in his works. His projects are under a net entitled “The Heart Society.” In these projects, Guima’s goal is the same: to observe urban environments, social transformation, and what he calls “triggering of affection” as the mechanics of large cities teeter on the line of rupture. Guima collaborates with companies on various art and social projects in an attempt to engage the community in their purpose.
A dois dias das eleições eu fui pra rua para o meu próprio ato. Essa minha obra Cabeça Coração tava guardada no armário há 2 anos. Muito porque eu não sentia há tempos a necessidade de continuar minhas intervenções para provocar o afeto nas ruas de grandes cidades como São Paulo. Mas foi só o Felipe Morozini me marcar num post que acendi denovo. Abri o armário. Vesti o coração. Coração bateu forte e foi ali, naquele momento, que eu decidi ir pras ruas de novo. Tá tudo tão louco, tão confuso, que eu precisava vibrar outra coisa no meio do caos. AMOR. À noite Artur chegava em casa depois de assistir “A Paixão de JL” pela quinta vez, me brindando com as palavras de Leonilson que compõem esse vídeo e gravadas em seu diário pessoal nos anos 90. Em menos de 24 horas estávamos todos na rua. Eles e eu, sempre, porque não ando sozinho nunca e junto trago aquelxs que como eu desejam e criam realidades. Glau. Camila. Artur. Maria. Passei 8 horas vibrando amor e atravessando a vida automática de várias pessoas. Muitas delas tiveram sequer a capacidade de me enxergar ali. Mas a certeza de que AMOR é a força mais potente e transformadora do universo batia no meu peito e transbordava dias melhores pra gente. Sempre. .Cabeça Coração, uma performance de Rodrigo GuimaVídeo e trlha: Glau Rossi �Imagens: Glau Rossi e Camila Cornelsen� Apoio e Amor: Artur Hiroyuki e Maria Puebla .São Paulo, 5 de outubro de 2018. #shotoniphone
Gepostet von Rodrigo Guima am Sonntag, 7. Oktober 2018
AETRA Studio, by Danielle Antonopoulos
If you’re looking for beautiful handmade jewelry, look no further than AETRA Studio. Each piece is hand-crafted by Greek-Brazilian Danielle Antonopoulos. Her pieces are inspired by the time she’s spent in Brazil, Greece, and Berlin, and she reconciles the aesthetics of the three to create a unique look.
Gastronomy
Aviatrix Café & Atelier
Conveniently located in Schillerkiez right by Tempelhofer Feld, Aviatrix Café & Atelier is a relaxing and enjoyable spot and a perfect environment for new ideas to take flight. The space functions as a few things: a cultural association, art atelier, and café. Founded by Brazilian Renata Faccenda and a few friends, Aviatrix Café allows artists with children to have space to work and connect with the community, and offers patrons the unique experience of interacting with local artists while serving them Brazilian food and drinks. So hop in the cockpit and fly over to Aviatrix, grab a bowl of feijoada, and bob your head to some Brazilian music.
Aviatrix Café & Atelier, Herrfurthstraße 13, 12049 Berlin
Open Wed-Fri 12-19:00h, Sat-Sun 11-19:00h
Café Mori
Café Mori, located just down the street from Görlitzer Park, has to be one of the cutest places on this list. Alongside café staples like coffee and pastries, Café Mori is a great place for Brazilian snacks like coxinhas, but if you’re in the mood for something more stereotypically Brazilian, their Feijoada is delicious also. During the summer months, they set up big brightly-colored tables on the sidewalk in front, making for a great place to take a break and watch the hustle and bustle of life in Berlin.
Cafe Mori, Wiener Straße 13, 10999 Berlin
Open Tue-Sat 11:30-22:00h, Sun 12-20:00h
photos: Liz Ketcham
Tapiocaria
One of the more well-known Brazilian joints in Berlin, Tapiocaria serves up delicious tapioca-based Brazilian street food. They specialize in their cassava flatbreads, which are tapioca-based pancakes folded and filled with either savory or sweet fillings. Though they’re best known for their street enterprises, they have just opened their first restaurant this month. The restaurant will also sell street food-to-go, but the founders, Mariana Pitanga de Macedo, and Peter Westerhoff have devised a whole new menu of their take on Brazilian favorites.
Tapiocaria, Samariterstraße 34a, 10247 Berlin
Open Wed-Fri 12-22:00h, Sat 10-22:00h, Sun 10-20:00h
Brigaderia Sgarbi
How big is your sweet tooth? When you get your hands on the goods of Brigaderia Sgarbi, the bigger your sweet tooth is, the better. Brigaderia Sgarbi specializes in classic Brazilian chocolates; brigadeiros, but they also make other delightfully sweet treats that will please your taste buds. The chocolates are a perfect bite-size way to experience Brazil in Berlin. Find them at different markets or make use of their catering service.
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Text: Liz Ketcham
