photos: Vismante Ruzgaite.
Berlin on the first of May, Labor Day. What was once a day of protests and revolts where the Kreuzberg anarchists and punks would throw bottles at the police, set cars on fire and smash shop windows is nowadays one of the biggest street parties taking over most of Kreuzberg 36 and some other parts of the city.
You could argue that Berlin has lost its edge and that the youths now frolicking through the streets with beer in their hands have totally forgotten about the history and meaning of this important German Holiday. But on the other hand, isn’t this free-spirited way of celebrating life in any given place and for any reason Berlin’s major trademark since basically the early 90s?
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by Frank | Photos
The first of May, also known as Labor Day, was just a holiday day for me until I came to Berlin. No matter how hard you try to describe to other people that have never been to Berlin what goes on here, you cannot fully understand it until you experienced it. You have to be there. And as they say, what has been seen cannot be unseen.
The first of May is a day when you see children innocently sliding down slides at the park with really wasted people lie scattered around in the grass taking a break from drinking. And that’s not even the craziest thing you will see. Maybe that’s why Berliners are just different because they are raised from the crib straight to the party. All their life they are exposed to the most unusual situations and therefore embrace randomness, spontaneity, and surrealism.
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by Amanda Artiaga | Party, Stories
photos: Min Kyung Choi
Dearest Berlin, let us dance!
Already wearing your prettiest summer-dress and smiling your brightest smile!
Finally your days are long, your nights short. Melt into each other. Have no beginning and no end.
The melancholic spirit of winter seems long past and is forgiven.
Dark November blues melt simultaneously with my frozen lemon popsicles.
The sky painted in radiant blue. This is why I fell in love with you, Berlin.
Everything is blooming and the city is raging with life. Listening to street musicians while bathing in the sun.
Watching shimmering shadows dancing in the moonlight.
Dreams seem to come true during summer.
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by Guest Author | Photos, Stories
photos: Hanko Ye
Berlin, that’s almost 4 million people hustling through their distinct lives. 4 million mindsets, stories, and life plans. The diversity of Berlin is the most apparent when the whole city is celebrating on the streets. On these occasions Berlin is showing its most real, raw and unadorned side. Just last weekend at “Karnival der Kulturen” the photographer Hanko Ye captured this side of the capital.
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by Andy | Photos
photos: all.x
On Saturday, on a taxi ride in Buenos Aires with a few strangers, I had a conversation about my recent trip to Rio, which quickly led to the topic of the Brazilian carnival, and then over to the one in Venice and Cologne. The conversation had almost switched to another topic when it struck me: We have a carnival in Berlin too! How could I forget! And it usually takes place in… oh, it’s this weekend! In contrast to the ones in Brazil, Cologne and Venice, our Berlin carnival is not specifically about one nation, but about all of them – or at least quite a big bunch. As the title “carnival of the cultures” suggests, different countries come together here with their traditions, dance and food. It became this huge thing here over the years with a big parade and food market. People either love it or hate it, but regardless, it’s a big spectacle with a lot of fanfare and the poor streets of the city that have hardly recovered from the mayhem of May Day are again littered with the cultural confetti of the next big street fair.
Photographer Alexander Niklass captured the event through his dark, urban lens; the results present the carnival in quite different light than what we are all used to. Enjoy the amazing photo series after the jump and for more photos by Alex follow him on Instagram.
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by Frank | Photos
The Japarade was a funny combination of Halloween, St.Martin’s Parade and Japanes on a techno rave. This event showed me again, how absurd Berlin can be and also that this is why I heart this city so much. We walked through Friedrichshain dressed as little Japanese monters and ended up dancing to the crazy tunes coming ouf of a monster truck. The big finale was a dramatic fight between the grey big monster and the pink squid. Very funny! I just wish the organizers would have done this nice event in the summer. Some impressions after the jump.
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by Claudio | Art, Photos
photo: Shoxxx
Japanese subculture is pretty much under-represented in Berlin. The more reason to look forward to the event that will take place this Saturday in Friedrichshain. The Japarade is an interdisciplinary art project that deals with Japanese art and their positions in Berlin’s subculture. The exhibition will take place in two galleries in Friedrichshain and will show the work of Japanese artists in Berlin including contemporary photography, painting, graphic design and installation.
For the opening reception both exhibition locations will be connected with a colorful, loud and wild street parade: The Japarade. Fantastical Japanese creatures of all sorts will entertain the audience. All the details after the jump.
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by Claudio | Art
