Street Art

Now I will notice all the "1up" tags I'm sure of it
Loved this Che right in the middle of it all

Simone is really into Street Art and tries to do a tour of it where ever she goes.  She booked us on an alternative tour with an artist.  I didn't know much about it other than I knew I needed someone to watch my kids for a couple of hours after school on Thursday.  My friend, Beth, very happily agreed to take both kids - her kids are friends with my kids and they are one of our favorite families here.  We were all set for her to take both kids home after school and then drop them back off at our apartment around 5:30.  The kids and I had planned to take the bus for the first time this year rather than ride our bikes so that our bikes wouldn't be left out at school all night.  It was all set up.  But, as this week was turning out, plans changed.

The artist that did the red and
black woman is the same artist
who designed the Obama
HOPE posters

Beth texted me first thing in the morning saying that her daughter, Maya, was up all night with the stomach bug.  I'm sure the same one that my kids had earlier in the week.  Ugh!!  This is one nasty stomach bug.  No one is safe.
So, with my very well laid plans shattered once again, I thought quick and knew my friend Katy could probably bike my kids home and then they could just take care of themselves for a couple of hours until I got home.  Thankfully, Katy agreed and Simone and I were able to still go on the street art tour.
After school drop off we hopped on the train and headed towards Kruezberg.  Simone had a few stores she wanted to visit along the way.  We passed by a REI outdoor type store where I bought myself an orange thermos that was on sale.  I'm planning on taking German language classes again starting in January and the only travel coffee mug that I brought isn't leak proof and last year I had wished I had one during the LOOONG 4 hours of class.  I love cool bag store.  I will definitely go back and get one.  These bags were very cool.

drink containers of any kind and I love orange.  I was happy.  Then we went to this very
We then went to a couple more cool stores.  I am not a shopper and being with Simone has shown me so many cool parts of my new city.  We

unfortunately spent too much time shopping and barely had time to squeeze in lunch.  We stumbled into this place because it was close to the meeting place for the art tour and it was a

homerun.  They had really healthy bowls like I've been missing from Cafe Yumm or Chaco Canyon.  So SO yummy.
We meet up with Ben our Street Art Tour

guide and about 5 other tourist.  I actually learned so much about street art and the culture and the artists behind the art.  It was pretty cool.
Apparently one of the biggest and most prolific groups are called 1up and they are all over the world.  I have a feeling I will be seeing there stuff everywhere when before I thought it was just graffiti.  There are these yellow fists painted that I have seen all over Berlin but had no idea that this is one particular artists mark.  Yellow fist everywhere. In the middle of the river on a sign, on the very top of buildings, on trains, on what would seem very hard to reach places.   Apparently each street artist paints
with particular colors or styles and it is how they are recognized.  They typically sign it as well.

Before the tour I hadn't really thought too much about street art.  The fine dance it does between art and graffiti and an artist making a mark and trying to not get caught or get fined.  Apparently getting caught painting a building or wall or train is a several thousand Euro fine.  I also had no idea that there is a big sticker culture. 

Artist mass produce there sticker and then can put it up anywhere - leaving their mark.  A fine for a sticker is only 15 Euro.  Stuff I would have NEVER thought of.  Our guide also talked about several artist who have been killed at a young age by passing trains.  Painting trains is also a big deal but obviously harder to do and easier to get caught.

These brown faces were made
with just packing tape.  Again
stickers is only a 15 Euro fine

The 1Up crew can get a whole train carriage painted in under 3 minutes.  It is pretty impressive.  Just google 1up train painting and tons of youtube videos come up.  Like this
We took the train to another area near Yorkstrasse.  Apparently Kruezberg is the old center of street art and the area near Yorkstrasse is the up and coming street art center.  It was SO cold that day and my hands would freeze when I took my gloves off so there are only a few pics but tons of very cool art.

One of my very favorite quotes
from the Lorax.  Up in beautiful font
surrounded by street art.