Berlin by Bike

This was written September 22 but there was a delay and I did not post until today October 12...

Today I finally experienced Berlin by bike. It was a lot to concentrate on - between the bikers, drivers and walkers while also being aware of the 'right-away' at intersections. They have roundabout intersections here (in addition to stoplights) where there is no stop sign and often no yield. But I had my friend to follow - which I am very grateful and so I made my way alright. Well, yeah, besides a minor problem with my hip tonight (it feels out of joint). And Justin, that is because my seat was too low! So I could feel safe and closer to the ground. I must have pulled something trying to do a push off start after a stoplight.

I went to the Guggenheim for the first time (had not been there last September when I visited). It was just okay. A fairly small space. An odd video with swirling movie titles and dates, intersperced with women's names and types of female roles in society (prostitute, secretary, mother etc.) The backdrop was abstract imagery - blurred dinner table with a view of the guests only from the chest down. Very odd. Wish I knew the name of the artist. We stayed in their a long time just for a rest. And then I bought two expensive pencils for friends.

Ate very delicious pizza at a place I don't know the name. Must remember to get the salami/prosciutto one again..mmmmm...and we beat the rush of people. The pizza smelled so good it brought us in off the street. We were about to ride by and had to stop...Oh and the thing with Berlin restaurants and cafe's is that the name is not very prominent usually. No one seems to remember the name of anything. Sometimes I see a cool place I want to go back to - I take a notebook out to jot it down but then I cannot find the name of the place anywhere on the outside. Possibly it is on the awning but it is above me and difficult to see....

I stopped by the Getranke shop to get a bottle of wine on the way home. The man inside asked me in German where I was from. I said 'Ich komme aus Chicago'. He said 'USA?' - ya. He says 'Ich komme aus Iraq. I am your friend' It was so touching...and he was so excited to meet me. We talked for a bit in German and I figured out most of what he was saying! which felt very good. Evidently he used to know English but he has been here for 15 years and so he forgot it. Finally, I had to go but it was nice to get to know someone at one of the neighborhood shops. It is familiarity - those people we talk to regularly who become apart of our routine - that makes things seem okay. alright. comfortable. Too much familiarity would be boring, stagnant I suppose but I need a bit of it to feel apart of things and not removed or outside them. some anchors.

The Art Issue

Hello! as promised, I am finally getting the blog off the ground. This first one is dedicated to Graham - who said he was going to set up an RSS feed if I got a blog going. And the revisions are dedicated to Doug because he may well be the only one noticing the 'fine-tuning'.

It has been a little over two weeks since I arrived. It is difficult to say how things are going because I have good days and bad days. But overall, the experience is invaluable and the city amazing. So I am trying to remind myself to enjoy every moment.

Here is my German vocabulary so far:

Super! (pronounced Zuper!)
Alles Klar - (pron. alice klar) ok! everything's fine! question and a response. Alles Klar? - Alles Klar!
So (pron.Zo) means the same and is used a lot
Ich möchte (pron. ish mooshtah something like that) It means 'I would like...' and I use this whenever I am ordering anything at a restaurant, coffee shop, in a cab etc.
Danke shön (dankah shane) thank you. literally thank you nicely.
Bitte (bittah) please and your welcome.
Genau (geh now) means exactly. right.
Ach So (ack zo) I see!
Wo ist die Toilette? (Vo ist dee Ti-lette) where is the toilet? I am sure you guessed that one.

Das ist alles. That is all. I know unfortunately. Well, a few phrases - Wo her kommen Sie? Where are you from? Ich komme aus Chicago. etc. and the all important Sprechen Sie English? but that goes without saying.

Yesterday was a particularly great day. Full. I met an artist friend Ina at the Berlinische Galerie in Kreuzberg near the Jüdisches Museum. This is a beautiful area of town. On a side note - the thing I love about Berlin is the space: how things flow into the other and the openness from that and distance around the buildings. Buildings lead to courtyards that lead to streets and other courtyards through other buildings. There is a sense as you maneuver through the streets that things continue forever. It just keeps going and unfolding. It makes me think of German architect Mies Van Der Rohe and his ideal of achieving free-flowing open space with minimal framework. He spent some time in Berlin before fleeing to Chicago. The Berlin - Chicago connection...

Unfortunately, the current exhibit was kind of bare and not too interesting. Which was disappointing because last September I visited and was blown away. But evidently that was the last exhibition by the former director. Emilio Verdova -part of the permanent collection I believe - was kind of interesting with his painting installations.

It didn't take us long to get through the galerie (which feels more like a museum, similar to MCA in Chicago.) We had a cappuccino. talked a bit. Then she had to take off. I had some time before meeting Antonia. So I met up with Mira and Doug (american, artists) at the vernissage (opening) for a couple Ausstellungen (exhibitions) at Arndt and Partner. Please be sure to click on Josephine Meckseper's work which was incredibly strong - the video in particular; a montage of newer car commercials changed to black and white and overlaid with a foreboding, intense soundtrack. An SUV outracing a jet..A critique on consumerism, power, and so on.

Later around 9, I met Antonia, a young curator from Leipzig. She is a 'newcomer' like I am so it was good to meet her. She wanted to go to the opening at Peres Projects. They are an LA-based gallery with a second location here. It was the place to be last night - at least in the art crowd. And basically everyone was speaking English in that group which I was glad to hear! I ran into Mira there and my other friend Isaac. We really liked both shows going on there. Amie Dicke, an artist based in Amsterdam with really interesting sculptures. Also, the collective - Assume Astrid Vivid Focus who I was familiar with. They did a musical performance that we all watched through a window into the inside of the gallery. During this rock show, fireworks were going on right above Peres Projects space but it was just a coincidence. At the time though it seemed the gallery went all out for this opening!

Below:
in front of Peres Projects
my friend Antonia! and the cool 80's art kids
view inside the Assume Astrid Vivid Focus installation



Okay so put a lot into this first post...we'll see if I can continue that kind of energy :)

I miss all of you tremendously. Please join Skype unless you are on Gmail which in that case we can 'g-chat'.

Also, for more photos check my flickr account. You may need to be added as a contact...

Tchüss,
Sarah