Using the public transport was a really good way of getting to know the city.
Culture
Having heard a lot about the contemporary arts scene in Berlin, I made sure I took the opportunity to visit some of the galleries.
Hamburger Bahnhoff
Klingelhöferstrabe 14, 10785 Berlin
The exhibition offered a range of techniques and forms of art from painting to sculpture and world famous artists such as Andy Warhol. Being able to get up and close to the artwork was a unique opportunity and I also discovered some new artists:
His paintings are predominantly large-scale, calligraphic and graffiti-like works:
I am intrigued by the use of typography in fine art and how/if its role is different from in graphic design.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Gallerie P98a
Visited Erik Spiekermann's traditional letterpress studio for a tour of the studio. The staff were really knowledgable and provided a practical and historical overview of the equipment and work that the studio carries out. The sheer amount of type styles, weights and sizes was really impressive and I aspire to have a collection of my own.
Typographic posters were displayed around the studio which offers inspirational quotes about design. I took the opportunity to ask the workshop staff some questions about the studio and working with traditional methods of design. I asked one of the workshop staff how many posters and briefs they have at one time and I was surprised by the reply. She explained that they don't have many briefs but offer the studio to students and practitioners who want to use the equipment. This suggests that in order to gain an income from traditional methods, you can't just rely on client briefs but offer the facilities to creatives who can't afford the expensive equipment. One of the most surprising discoveries was the fact that the studio only needs to print one poster a month in order to pay the rent and bills. This shows that there is a market for traditional prints within the digital age which gives me confidence to pursue tangible, physical and analogue processes.
The staff showed some modern adaptions of the process by bringing in modern technology to laser cut and even 3D print the typography. I am aware that Dafi Kuhne is currently experimenting with combining modern technology with traditional and it was exciting to see that more people are trying new ways to keep the process alive. I have always been interested in experimenting with printing processes and I believe this is an opportunity to explore letterpress as an unfinished medium and discover new ways to make letterpress contemporary and relevant within the digital age.
Got to see some historical presses in action such as the OHT Original Heidelberger Tiegel:
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Gallerie P98a
Visited Erik Spiekermann's traditional letterpress studio for a tour of the studio. The staff were really knowledgable and provided a practical and historical overview of the equipment and work that the studio carries out. The sheer amount of type styles, weights and sizes was really impressive and I aspire to have a collection of my own.
Typographic posters were displayed around the studio which offers inspirational quotes about design. I took the opportunity to ask the workshop staff some questions about the studio and working with traditional methods of design. I asked one of the workshop staff how many posters and briefs they have at one time and I was surprised by the reply. She explained that they don't have many briefs but offer the studio to students and practitioners who want to use the equipment. This suggests that in order to gain an income from traditional methods, you can't just rely on client briefs but offer the facilities to creatives who can't afford the expensive equipment. One of the most surprising discoveries was the fact that the studio only needs to print one poster a month in order to pay the rent and bills. This shows that there is a market for traditional prints within the digital age which gives me confidence to pursue tangible, physical and analogue processes.
The staff showed some modern adaptions of the process by bringing in modern technology to laser cut and even 3D print the typography. I am aware that Dafi Kuhne is currently experimenting with combining modern technology with traditional and it was exciting to see that more people are trying new ways to keep the process alive. I have always been interested in experimenting with printing processes and I believe this is an opportunity to explore letterpress as an unfinished medium and discover new ways to make letterpress contemporary and relevant within the digital age.
Got to see some historical presses in action such as the OHT Original Heidelberger Tiegel:
FAG Swiss Proof S 52, 1979
We were given the opportunity to use the Swiss Proof in order to print our own poster. The studio had already set the type because of a lack of time, however it was great to learn and use the press that I have seen designers such as Dafi Kuhne use. This experience made me realise that I would really like to learn the full process, from choosing a composition to inking up the rollers which would provide me with valuable skills in the future.
Poster:
Very friendly, insightful and inspiring - If I ever go back to Berlin I will get in contact with the studio and visit them again.
Bauhaus Archive
Read and learnt about the Bauhaus from early on in my creative education so it was a great opportunity to see the work from the original school.
Came across an art and design shop near the hostel where I discovered Pathetic Sympathy Seekers
http://patheticsympathyseekers.com/was_bisher_geschah/index.html#mc_embed_signup
The Pathetic Sympathy Seekers are a group of artists based in Berlin who have come up with a conceptual idea for online publications. Images of pages/books in a range of different environments have been layered with type and content to immerse the audience in the tangible qualities of print. The typography and images have been layered like a digital collage which is a contemporary method of displaying print through screen which I think is really engaging.
35mm images:
Really enjoyed my experience in Berlin and I would definitely like to go back because I only scratched the surface of what the city has to offer.
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