eurotripping: berlin.

When I started planning my trip to Europe, I knew I wanted to visit Berlin again. The reasons being it’s one of my favourite cities in Europe and the contemporary art scene is really fantastic there. My first trip to Berlin was really short and during the winter, so it was great to see the German capital in the summertime, even though it was nearly 40 degrees on some days!

I spent nearly a week in Berlin this time around and as I ended up spending my birthday there, I stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast that was worth every cent. On most days, I would visit two art galleries and/or museums because there were so many awesome exhibitions. The Sprüth Magers had a Joseph Kosuth exhibition, so naturally, I had to go because I love any sort of art that makes use of light (case and point: my love for anything Flavin). I also went to the Deutsche Bank’s Kunsthalle for the Imran Qureshi exhibition and I finally visited the Neue Nationalgalerie for the first time. 

The best temporary exhibition I saw was the Anish Kapoor one at the Martin-Gropius-Bau. Kapoor in Berlin, as it was titled, featured 70 works, including quite a few new works, and is Kapoor’s first major exhibition in Berlin. You aren’t allowed to take any photos of the exhibition (I took a couple of quick Instagramsnaps) but trust me when I say that you must check it out if you’re in Berlin!

And of course, when in Berlin, I always make sure to book a tour at the Sammlung Boros in advance. The second rotation of art is now on display in the bunker and the focus is more on photography, namely Wolfgang Tillmans, and immobile works, rather than works like the first rotation. However, there were still some really cool installation works like a popcorn machine that has been popping since the start of the second rotation.

Although it seems like I did a lot, I still didn’t get the chance to visit the inside of the Reichstag, so I guess I’ll have to do that next time I’m in Berlin!

Next up: Belgium!