Berlin is known for its art scene and from the moment we booked the trip, I was keen to immerse myself in that side of the city. Therefore, we chose (I might have pushed!) to take the street art tour as a way to see some of the work adorning the streets of Berlin, as well as getting to see some parts of the city that we wouldn’t usually head to on a typical city tour.
Ben was our tour guide and, as the weather wasn’t great, we had a tiny tour group of 3 – great for asking questions and getting a really good discussion going about the street art scene. I was really pleased to learn that Ben is an artist himself and therefore really well placed to share his insights on the work that we were about to see.
The first couple of pieces helped to outline the two main groups in Berlin: 1UP and Bione (also known as Paradox or Berlin Zidz). After learning about some of their stunts and coverage, it was easy to spot their tags across most of the city. We’ve since spotted 1UP tags across other European cities, it’s now a regular mission to try and find as many as we can!
Following this, we moved on to check out some of the incredible art work across the city. Each one was very different, but showed so much talent and skill. Slowly, I began to learn more about the street art etiquette, the styles being used and the meanings behind the artwork. Ben told us about the differences between ‘tags’ (something quick and simple, almost a signature), a ‘throw up’ (something a little more elaborate, but could still be completed quickly) and the more detailed pieces that would have taken a longer time to complete.
From the complex to the simple, each image had a story. One of the most important things I learned on the tour was the assumption that the viewer will see the art from their own perspective. I found that really interesting and it changed my view on the creation of art – it doesn’t have to be perfect to create a reaction or invoke a feeling, it just has to be.
We also discussed the permanence, or lack thereof of street art and how this might help to keep ego in check. I thought that it was a nice thought that imagery may differ over time, due to weather, other artist contributions, or may even be permanently erased, resulting in a limited number of people seeing something that had been freshly created, with the rest experiencing an evolving image.
In addition to the painted art, there was also time for recognition of the smaller art installations hiding amongst walls and street signs. These were really cool and super easy to spot once you were made aware of them. I spent the remainder of my time in the city keeping my eyes peeled for more.
I loved the tour from start to finish. Ben was a brilliant guide, so down to earth and knowledgeable – a really cool guy. He had loads of knowledge to share, making each bit of the tour come to life. As an artist himself, it really lent credibility to the information being shared and it was great to see some of their work up on show too. It was like getting a sense of the city’s culture straight from someone who lived and breathed it. By the end of the tour, I was really ready to learn more about graffiti, street art and developing my own tag!
To round off our visit, the tour ended with a visit to the incredible Urban Nation contemporary art museum. With a range of incredible art works on display, and a graffiti toilet(!!), it was the perfect way to end the trip.
I still look back at this tour as one of the best I’ve been on, and it’s encouraged me to think about seeking out graffiti tours on other city breaks. They are a great way to get to know the heartbeat of the city, and for an art lover, they tell a story about a city’s history and culture. You get to wander off the usual tourist paths and really see a different side of the city.
You can check out some of our guide’s work on Insta @bulky-savage
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