Today the initiative "Tempelhof für alle" Tempelhof for all called Berliners to action. Their motto was "Have you ever squatted an airport?". Over 5,000 people came and attempted to climb over the fences and occupy the Tempelhof airport area.
Over 1,800 policeman came to protect the fences and the empty air field. There were reinforced with german shephards and also large tanks with spray guns were used to intimidate protestors.
The historic airport was shut down last year and many Berliners feel the area should be used for the public or as the park. The Berlin Senate has decided it should be used for luxury departments.
There were small clashes with police in the Neukölln part of the airport. The policemen fired pepper spray to protestors approaching the fence and I observed some police brutality. Many photojournalists were also mistreated and our press freedom was not respected.
I also saw a photo of a protester who had a gun drawn on them by an undercover cop near Colombiadamm.
More information on their blog:
http://tempelhof.blogsport.de/
![A documentation of the expanding Street Art scene in Berlin, with it´s never-ending variety of forms & techniques. Berlin, Germany. 02/03/2010.
Summary:
A documention of the expanding, diverse, and colourful Street Art scene in Berlin, Germany with it´s neverending variety of forms & techniques.
See also previous story:
http://www.demotix.com/news/87572/urban-art-thriving-berlin
For over 3 years, I have been documenting the Street Art scene in Berlin. In recent years, as art has expanded from colorful graffitis to 'paste-ups', tiles glued on buildings, legos, fake fur, etc it has always been interesting.
Berlin continues to be one of the most exciting cities in the world for Street Artists to freely work and also for Street Art to be seen.
'Street art is any art developed in public spaces — that is, 'in the streets' — though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives. The term can include traditional graffiti artwork, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheatpasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerrilla art, flash mobbing and street installations. Typically, the term street art or the more specific post-graffiti is used to distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial graffiti, vandalism, and corporate art.
Artists have challenged art by situating it in non-art contexts. ‘Street’ artists do not aspire to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the existing environment with its own language. They attempt to have their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being imprisoned by them.[1] John Fekner defines street art as “all art on the street that’s not graffiti.”[2]
Owl, Mezer, Moss. Venice Beach, CA.
The motivations and objectives that drive street artists are as varied as the artists themselves. There is a strong current of activism and subversion in urban art. Street art can be a powerful platform for reaching the public, and frequent themes include adbusting, subvertising and other culture jamming, the abolishment of private property and reclaiming the streets. Other street artists simply see urban space as an untapped format for personal artwork, while others may appreciate the challenges and risks that are associated with installing illicit artwork in public places. However the universal theme in most, if not all street art, is that adapting visual artwork into a format which utilizes public space, allows artists who may otherwise feel disenfranchised, to reach a much broader audience than traditional artwork and galleries normally allow.'
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_art
Artists: Boxi,the.ragtag,Bimer, LOAF, Lake, Dolk, JUST, Sp-38, Niagara
See also the following websites:
http://www.reclaimyourcity.net/
http://just.blogsport.de/
http://streetart.berlinpiraten.de/](http://www.demotix.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/display_80x50_cropped/photos/267901.jpg)
New: really cool shots joao
really cool shots joao
New: good job
good job joao,congratulations.
saludos.
New: excellent photo documentary
excellent photo documentary Joao