Featured Artists: Brenna – www.urbanartcore.eu
Jan Brennenstuhl aka Brenna is, above all, a Street art and Graffiti enthusiast; so passionated about it, to create a blog compiling news about urban art forms and its artists from all around the globe. He is the brain behind the well known Urbanartcore.
The need of documenting his blog with images developed into a large collection of exclusive photographs of street artists in action, which we are now proud to show at West Berlin Gallery.
We interviewed Brenna in order to find out more about Urban Art Photography.
Hi Brenna, could you tell us what got you into Street art and graffiti in the first place?
As a teenager I spent a lot of time in Berlin’s creative, subcultural districts, Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, which are well-known for their distinctive street creativity. Everyone who ever visited one of these boroughs knows that! For that reason I unavoidable came in contact with bold letters and paste-ups on walls…
I started to document those things just for myself, because I liked it. Walking through the streets photographing all the often funny works soon became a new passion and I stepped further and further into this kind of parallel universe…
As founder and author of the street art and graffiti blog Urbanartcore.eu, could you describe for our readers it’s purpose and it’s aims?
Urbanartcore is mainly focused on stories, news and actions taking place in urban environment. Of course it’s especially about graffiti and street art and stuff, but there’s no master-plan or anything like that! What I wanted to do with Urbanartcore is to establish a daily source for news about urban art and related things from around the globe. I also wanted to create a platform to document street art, track the development of artists and give them the chance to reach a wider public. As measured by the positive responses, it almost worked out!
What it is you look for in the artists you feature in your blog and photographies?
There is no general concept but often I try to identify not just great artworks but also interesting personal characters. Often, and that’s the major intention of my Urban Artists in Action series, I just want to see how the artists work in their studios or on the streets, legal or illegal. Some of the artists are friends, some I have never met before. All in all, I try to feature a good mixture of graffiti and street artists…
Do you receive any remuneration from advertising, galleries or artists to showcase their exhibitions and works in your blog?
Nope. I mean okay, some book publishers sometimes send me their latest urban art books expecting that I’ll write about it. In that way you could say it’s paid, but in the end Urbanartcore is an independent, uncommercial thing and that’s great! Why should artists or galleries pay for that? They’re doing a great job! For me it’s some kind of a hobby to check out what’s going on out there.
Did you always have a passion for photography or is it something that came along with the need of documenting your blog posts?
As I said before, documenting was the first, Urbanartcore came later. But yes, through all the photographing on the streets, galleries and studios I developed some kind of documentary photography or street photography skills. And to getting better is one of my passions today.
How much influence do you think the internet has had on the success of street artists and galleries dealing with them?
I think blogs, photo-communities and online magazines are a living part of the whole street art thing, and I love it. Having the chance to see amazing artworks from all over the globe almost in realtime, because some enthusiast photographed the latest stuff or wrote about the recent exhibition, is just possible because of the world wide web. And certainly galleries and artists benefit from that.
Do you think Street art is being commodified?
Yes, but I also think this has been part of the game since people describe street art as street art. It’s naive to think artists could live without making money. And if you find a good way to combine your street activities with some payed works, being an (street) artist could be a great life!
And would you say legal street art is still street art?
Of course! All the current main-protagonists like Blu, Roa or Aryz (just to name a few) did mainly legal or commissioned works in the near past. It’s somehow necessary if you like to create huge murals! In my eyes there’s nothing bad about that. Even more, it’s an official and good way to make cities more colorful and to establish a public look and feel which is not just standardized and plain grey.
How would you describe the graffiti and street art scene in Berlin at the moment?
Well, there are a lot of really good guys and girls out there at the moment. I think Berlin has a excellent capability of creativity and reputation, for what reason more and more highly skilled urban artists are coming to live here for the next years! Nevertheless it seems like they are more and more focused to paint in abandoned areas (and there are some really good ones in and near Berlin!) and not that much directly in the street anymore…but there is and will be still a lot of action in public space!
How much do you think Hype affects the public perception of what constitutes good art?
A lot. Just take a look at Banksy or Brainwash…
After this years of documenting and commenting on street art and following it’s remarkable growth in popularity, do you still hold the same level of enthusiasm for it?
Oh yes! Although I sometimes snap myself classifying street artworks by its creators, I think that you can’t break the power of street art. I think as long as there are artists being creative in the streets I will be a fan!
Is there any new artist whose work has really captured your imagination, and you would specially like to photograph in action?
Yeh, there are a few, but I don’t have a special list or something like that. To break it down I would name the Spanish urban artist Aryz, the French Da Mental Vaporz crew, the Bulgarian Trash Lovers crew and the Berliner Irgh…
How do you see the relationship between street art and the art world in general?
In my opinion it’s not that difficult as it’s alway said. And I’m pretty sure street art will have a seat in the next generation art-books like all the other major art-movements before.
What sort of artwork would you hang at your walls at home?
Photos of course! Also large-scale paintings like those abstract works by Morten Andersen or Kofie, some crazy characters like those Rallito X creates or some tape-installation stuff by Buff Diss. I never thought about that though… I guess whenever I have the money and see something I like, I will go and try to get it…
Urban Artists in Action – Another View on Street Art & Graffiti
“For years now, I document street art in Berlin and other European metropolises like Paris, London, Barcelona and Madrid. What I learned is, when you are deep in that multicultural and highly creative public art scene, you want to get in touch with its protagonists, with the people behind those sometimes funny or political street artworks. You want to know faces, want to see how they work, want to feel the adrenalin…” ( Brenna 2010 )
West Berlin Gallery is pleased to present Urban Artists in Action - Another View on Street Art & Graffiti, the photography of Jan Brennenstuhl, the brain behind the blogs www.urbanartcore.eu and www.urbanart-photography.eu. For the first time, the gallery will show not the result but the fascinating process of urban art, the secret of which so many artists are at pains to conceal.
Jan Brennenstuhl, aka Brenna, is a computer science master-student at University Potsdam by profession. By passion he is a priceless contribution to the graffiti scene with his international street art and graffiti blog www.urbanartcore.eu, which spreads the urban Berlin voice loud and clear to metropolises far and wide. As founder and author of www.urbanartcore.eu, which launched in 2009 and has now become a well-known source for news about urban art forms and its artists, Brenna provides a platform of communication for both artists and enthusiasts alike, presenting international news about urban art activities, interventions, street art, urban-inspired design, exhibitions and a lot more goodies as well up to the last minute essential happenings.
His close knit, almost family bonds with prominent street artists from both Berlin and around the world including Buff Diss, Morten Andersen, FinDAC and Remi/Rough naturally developed into a large collection of intimate photographs following studio visits and street actions of some of his, and our own favourite heroes. A virtual home was desperately needed for all the precious documentation so the blog www.urbanart-photography.eu was born. West Berlin Gallery could not help but pick up on the photograhic talents of this multi-talented multi-tasker and decided that it would be an absolute crime not to realise his documentations in 3-D and offer a temporary roof to give him a chance to share his experiences with the world.
The show will feature a selection of 49 photographic works from Brenna’s large portfolio focusing on the brilliant people behind street art and graffiti works that we all know and love but have always wondered….who and how? Some of the artists documented include Buff Diss, Titi Freak, Czarnobyl, Dan Kitchener, Ben Eine, Emess, FinDAC, Herakut, Augustine Kofie, Mode2, Nychos, Run Don’t Walk (RDW), Remi/Rough and Morten Andersen.
URBAN ARTISTS IN ACTION – ANOTHER VIEW ON STREET ART & GRAFFITI
BRENNA – Urban Artcore
Dates 23.06.2011 – 02.07.2011
Vernissage 23.06.2011, 6pm – 10pm
“For years now, I document street art in Berlin and other European metropolises like Paris, London, Barcelona and Madrid. What I learned is, when you are deep in that multicultural and highly creative public art scene, you want to get in touch with its protagonists, with the people behind those sometimes funny or political street artworks. You want to know faces, want to see how they work, want to feel the adrenalin…” ( Brenna 2010 )
West Berlin Gallery is pleased to present Urban Artists in Action - Another View on Street Art & Graffiti, the photography of Jan Brennenstuhl, the brain behind the blogs www.urbanartcore.eu and www.urbanart-photography.eu. For the first time, the gallery will show not the result but the fascinating process of urban art, the secret of which so many artists are at pains to conceal.
Jan Brennenstuhl, aka Brenna, is a computer science master-student at University Potsdam by profession. By passion he is a priceless contribution to the graffiti scene with his international street art and graffiti blog www.urbanartcore.eu, which spreads the urban Berlin voice loud and clear to metropolises far and wide. As founder and author of www.urbanartcore.eu, which launched in 2009 and has now become a well-known source for news about urban art forms and its artists, Brenna provides a platform of communication for both artists and enthusiasts alike, presenting international news about urban art activities, interventions, street art, urban-inspired design, exhibitions and a lot more goodies as well up to the last minute essential happenings.
His close knit, almost family bonds with prominent street artists from both Berlin and around the world including Buff Diss, Morten Andersen, FinDAC and Remi/Rough naturally developed into a large collection of intimate photographs following studio visits and street actions of some of his, and our own favourite heroes. A virtual home was desperately needed for all the precious documentation so the blog www.urbanart-photography.eu was born. West Berlin Gallery could not help but pick up on the photograhic talents of this multi-talented multi-tasker and decided that it would be an absolute crime not to realise his documentations in 3-D and offer a temporary roof to give him a chance to share his experiences with the world.
The show will feature a selection of 49 photographic works from Brenna’s large portfolio focusing on the brilliant people behind street art and graffiti works that we all know and love but have always wondered….who and how? Some of the artists documented include Buff Diss, Titi Freak, Czarnobyl, Dan Kitchener, Ben Eine, Emess, FinDAC, Herakut, Augustine Kofie, Mode2, Nychos, Run Don’t Walk (RDW), Remi/Rough and Morten Andersen.
About the Photographer
Brenna, born 1988 in the Eastern-part of Berlin, Germany, grew up in between mortal remains of the real socialism and multicultural, subcultural ideas of squatting and creative designing of public space. Influenced by those two contrary mindsets, he started photographing street art in 2006 to document this breaking new, but totally temporary form of urban art.
This new addiction lead to contact with urban artists and new friends from all over the world, and for this reason he got the rare chance to take a look behind the scenes of street art and graffiti. The resulting photo-series gives another view on street art and graffiti by focusing not on the artwork but on the artist.
In 2009, he started, with the aim to establish a daily source for street art and graffiti news, which developed the blog www.urbanartcore.eu, today famous for urban art forms and the latest developments net.
Brenna lives in Berlin-Friedrichshain, studies at the University Potsdam and extends his “Urban Artists in Action” series steadily and daily.
About www.Urbanart-Photography.eu
Urbanart-Photography.eu is a research, science, teaching and art project. The objective is to make available a special sphere for everybody. Adapted from article 5 break 3 of the German constitution, art, science, research and teaching are free. Therefore, this project enjoys a unique status of special dignity and righteousness. Urban artists in action. Private studio visits. The unique chance to see how street art work is produced.
Admission is free
Lisa Wassmann
West Berlin Gallery proudly presents Lisa Wassmann’s first solo show in Berlin from August 5th to September 5th. The exhibition will give a first general overview of the photographer’s works carried out over the last three years.
As a photographer, Lisa Wassmann earnestly oscillates between precision relating to crafts and cool digital aesthetics, hence creating a subtle interaction motif between these two aspects. Both Berlin club culture and unbelievable landscapes are featured in a selection of her favourite shots she has chosen for the show. This selection of mostly unpublished photos, specifically represents the artist’s perspective towards her work; and questions whether showing inner feelings has got a price and discusses how to convey intimate feelings into the open. as she was preparing the exhibition, Lisa Wassmann worked on the principle of representation on several levels: the photographs alone are not at the core of the show; their limited reproducibility and framing techniques restored her digital photography prints to ‘pictures’ in the traditional meaning of term. The unique pieces are developed in such a way, acquiring a clear delimitation from the outside and bear a tense interrelation between tradition and present.
The photographs have been issued as a limited edition of three copies each.
Lisa Wassmann, Ghosttown photographies available in our shop
As you might have heard already we are really proud to present Lisa Wassmann‘s very first solo show in Berlin this august. Save the date for the vernissage on August 5th!
We have already produced a first serie of photographs that were shown a couple weeks ago at BRIGHT. Those come from Lisa’s works in Las Vegas earlier this year and have not been published anywhere else so far.
” I came to Vegas thinking of a sparkling, crowded, glorious sinful city, colourful lights. But all I saw were empty streets. I met a philipine priest and an old man in a wheel chair driving in the middle of the highway. I put myself in disguise as to be someone else. I walked around in Sin City in the middle of the desert and then on the last day it snowed. In the desert / me and my holy friend.” Lisa Wassmann
Those pictures are now available exclusively in our online shop. They’ve been printed by bggrr.com on Aluminium Dibond with 3mm Acryl finishing. The result are 40 x 60 cm amazing pictures with really sharp and bright colors. bggrr.com deals with premium digital imaging (Alu Dibond ,UV, Acryl, Forex, Kappa, Fine Art Printing, Photo Art & ltd. Editions) When you are in Berlin, check out their new showroom in Brunnenstr. We are really happy with the premium quality of their prints. Good job!
Here are some previews of the pictures, more details in our online shop.
Also, here’s a cool interview realised by Dazed Digital a few months ago. This tells a bit more about Lisa.
From sleeping in cars to getting tarred and feathered in the desert Lisa Wassmann shows us her beautiful pictures from her entire American roadtrip.
Dazed Digital: What’s your background as a photographer?
Lisa Wassman: I started six years ago taking pictures in clubs around Berlin and creating shots with my friends. I was more into painting before that, but wasn´t really into being alone by myself sitting in front of an artwork for a couple of days.
DD: Are you inspired by any particular films? Art? Literature?
Lisa Wassman: I love old paintings, especially symbolism. I love Michael Ende´s Neverending Story, movie and book. A Million Little Pieces, Karen Duve, Chris Cunningham, Björk, Martin de Thurah, Arnold Böcklin, Princess Mononoke, Blade Runner, Some Like It Hot… But I get most of my inspirations by looking through old stuff from flea markets such as photographs, magazines and paintings.
DD: What about other photographers?
Lisa Wassman: Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Ryan McGinley.
DD: What is your connection to Texas. Was this a roadtrip?
Lisa Wassman: I was born and raised in Berlin, but I grew up in the west part, so I had a chance to watch lots of American movies and read ‘Lucky Luke’. From far away, Texas was always the place with cowboys, horses, ranches, conservative / religious thinking, typical American food, a red desert and a blue sky. I immediately had the idea to tar and feather somebody and shoot this in the desert… don´t ask me why. And yeah it was a roadtrip we rented a car and slept in it the whole time. I think we went everywhere.
DD: What inspired this series?
Lisa Wassman: Of course my very closed friend Caro Paris who joined me, and all the people I met during the trip.
Most picture ideas came up while I was driving. The colours, the lightning everything looked so different…
DD: How long did it take you to create?
Lisa Wassman: We stayed in Texas for three weeks.
DD: There is an interesting mix of constructed images, and others that seem more spare of the moment. Did you construct the whole series?
Lisa Wassman: The only image I certainly wanted to create from the beginning was the tarred and feathered picture I did one day before we had to leave. I am a very constructed artist but not in advance because I am very impatient.
Stay tuned! there’s more coming up soon!
Vernissage: Cuba – The Sunny Side Of Socialism?
Come by tomorrow evening, march 6th, to enjoy great pictures, beach-flavoured pop-music & sunny cocktails. The vernissage starts at 19:00, and the concert of Jules Valeron with his Band “Valeron & the Coconuts” at 20:30. They will present their Debut-Album “Horizons Nouveaux”.
Often regarded as a purely outdated communist regime, Cuba is certainly the world’s most famous time wrap, frozen in the 50s. It’s also important not to forget there have been some real achievements to the revolution: food supply for the poor, provision of housing and education, an effective health care system, and efforts to reduce race and gender prejudices.
The tourist is impressed by the strong solidarity of cuban people and their pride of being independent. Nevertheless, the omnipresence of police and military, the lack of diversity in information and freedom of expression cannot be neglected, leading to some kind of resignation.
Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is the most populous insular nation in the Caribbean. Its people, culture and customs draw from several sources including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves, and its proximity to the United States. The name “Cuba” comes from the Taíno language the exact meaning of which is unclear, but may be translated either “where fertile land is abundant” or “great place”.
WBG presents Jules Valeron: Cuba – The Sunny Side Of Socialism?
Not much is known from the time before 2005, the year Jules Valeron arrived in Berlin. They say that he has french origins, did something with traveling and used to shave every morning. Something changed.
Highly inspired by the german capital and its creative inhabitants, he started taking photos of the city, focusing on architectural details and the contrasts he discovered between the former east and west, old and new. Lately Jules has been exploring new horizons.
Cuba, the Sunny Side of Socialism?
West Berlin Gallery presents a selection of his finest photographs from the communist island.
Coconut trees, 50s Architecture, Socialistic Propaganda and the Proud Cuban People are shown in a Retro-Aesthetic, emphasizing the fact that time seems to be passing slower in the land of Cigars and Rum.
When he’s not hiding behind the Camera, Jules Valeron sings and plays beach-flavoured Pop-Musique with his Band “Valeron & the Coconuts”
For the Vernissage on Saturday March 6th (19:00) they will add some summer-vibes, performing a live-set and presenting their Debut-Album “Horizons Nouveaux”
2011 West Berlin Gallery