The most beautiful street art murals & graffiti in Berlin

Street art has become an integral part of the streets of major German cities. Berlin, in particular, attracts artists from all over the world. Political slogans and vibrant colors are present throughout the city.

Street art – a global phenomenon

Street art shapes public space. Through graffiti and murals , the artist communicates with the city. This art form is ephemeral and fleeting. It is exposed to the elements, can be covered over, or otherwise altered. It is not art that needs to be preserved in a gallery or museum. The city itself is its gallery.

As a global phenomenon, it is present in almost every major city. Whether as a political statement or to poeticize the cityscape, it wants to be seen and to infiltrate public space.

However, this art form has now arrived in the mainstream. Works by Obey and Banksy sell for high prices and are exhibited in galleries . The desire for modern and contemporary art is a phenomenon that reflects the raw appeal of this art form.

Photographer Dan Meyers came across the following image of a Banksy graffiti piece while reviewing old photos . He had taken the picture in 2014 in the West Bank (Palestine). He paid a Palestinian taxi driver to take him to their side of the wall and took a few photos of the graffiti with an iPhone .

The West Bank is walled off like a prison and heavily guarded by the Israelis. For these reasons, this street art piece by the rebellious and subversive Banksy has a very special significance.

Leon Wu photographed another work in Palestine that bears the signature of Banksy.

Urban art has already taken this path. As a blend of urban lifestyle and street art, urban art has long been found away from the streets and thus beyond the accusation of vandalism. Nowadays, urban art and street art are hardly distinguishable, as both find a place in museums and galleries .

Street art history in Berlin

Its beginning is difficult to pinpoint. In Brazil, murals appeared between the 1960s and 1980s as a form of protest against the military dictatorship.

Around the same time, the first graffiti were discovered in New York . Trains, house walls, and bridges were decorated with murals.

In the 1970s, the West Berlin punk and hip-hop scene through graffiti . By the end of the 1970s, the art form was gaining increasing attention. More and more artists wanted to actively shape the cityscape and brought new techniques with them.

The often political slogans were also found on the Berlin Wall. DefShop's Street Art Map.

However, street art was not an unknown phenomenon in East Berlin either. East Berlin artists, however, faced severe restrictions and had to submit to political interests.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, much changed in the Berlin art scene. West and East German artists collaborated, beautifying the cityscape. Initially popular and supported, this art form was heavily criminalized after reunification.

Today, street art is a popular phenomenon. Artists are hired to beautify building facades. However, commercialization is reducing the proportion of critical and political murals.

Street art highlights and unforgettable murals in Berlin

Teufelsberg

Teufelsberg was once home to an American listening post used to eavesdrop on East Germany. Today, it serves as a canvas for many international artists, who interact with the surrounding environment. Such a concentration of artworks in one place is hard to find anywhere else.

Alexanderstraße, Mitte

In Alexanderstrasse in Berlin Mitte, mural art is intertwined with the GDR. While otherwise heavily controlled by the socialist regime, Walter Womacka's work is an exception. His piece on the Haus des Lehrers (House of the Teacher) depicts life in the GDR.

Mariannenstraße 37, Kreuzberg

Until around 2017, the city's last coal merchant was located at Mariannenstraße 37. Condominiums are planned for the site. The company's mural can still be seen today, a reminder of Kreuzberg, which is gradually disappearing.

Uhlandstraße 187

Berlin's largest mural is located at Uhlandstraße 187. Christian "Lake" Wahle and Gino Fuchs created the work in 2004. It is situated in the courtyard of an old gas station. The triptych covers a total area of ​​1200 square meters. The anti-capitalist work shows strong influences from classical art. The site in front of the building has since been developed.

RAW site

The RAW grounds are one of the highlights of Berlin's street art scene. The former railway halls are adorned with mural art on every corner. The art at RAW is unique and an essential part of any street art tour.

East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. It measures 1.3 km and features approximately 100 works of art by international artists.

Top Street Art Artists in Berlin

Nomad

Nomad is a Berlin-based artist. He aims to present art in a new context and criticizes the increasingly commercialized art scene. He became known for "Mr. Friendly," a small figure who offers advice and commentary on various scenes.

His mural “Rounded Heads” can be found at Oppelner Straße 44-46.

Shepard Fairey's Hope

Shepard Faireys Hope designed the poster for Barack Obama's 2018 presidential campaign. With "Obey Giant," he changed the norms of urban art. "Obey Giant" is a marketing campaign about products that don't exist. Shepard Faireys Hope thus criticizes commercialism and consumerism, but ultimately did deliver the corresponding products for the campaign.

Shepard Fairey's Hope Mural Art are located at Schwerinstraße 3 and Mehringplatz 28.

ROA

The artist, who was fascinated by skeletons and skulls of dead animals even as a small child, further developed the New York style and combined it with his own. His works are mostly in black and white and depict skeletons and skulls of dead animals. He draws his inspiration from animals native to his surroundings.

His works can be found in Berlin at Oranienstraße 2 and Schönhauser Allee 116.

Herakut

Herakut is an artist duo consisting of Jasmin Siddiqui and Falk Lehmann. Their project, "Giant Story Book," aims to connect people and show that they all share the same concerns and commonalities. For their project, Herakut traveled the world and created the siblings Jake and Lilly.

The stories about the siblings tell how Jake breaks out of his perfect world with the help of graffiti and mural art , and how Lilly, who lives in a parallel world, sets out with a monkey to find her brother.

Cryptic

Cryptik, an artist from Los Angeles, is known for his geometric forms and mantras. His mural art aims to bring people peace in their hectic everyday lives. Cryptik draws his inspiration from ancient texts.

His work “Mantradala” is located at Bergfriedstraße 10.

PichiAvo

The Spanish artist duo "PichiAvo" has been beautifying walls around the world since 2007. Their works aim to combine mural art and classical art. Art should be visible everywhere and for everyone, whether on the street or in a museum.

The mural “Two Faces” can be found at Friedrichstrasse 9.

Jim Avignon

Jim Avignon is known for his colorful figures, which can be found all over Berlin. Initially cheerful and vibrant, the figures appear less amusing upon closer inspection. Jim Avignon's figures offer a critique of the world, particularly of local issues in Berlin.

His mural in the courtyard of the Tagesspiegel newspaper depicts three penguins in an airplane. The airplane is approaching a building with the inscription "Airport Closed." The work criticizes Berlin Brandenburg Airport.

Jim Avignon's works can be found at Askanischer Platz 3, Neheimer Straße 8, Adalbertstraße 7 and in the East Side Gallery.

Conclusion

Street art has changed dramatically over the years. From beautifying the cityscape to participating in political revolutions and even criminalization, it is now respected and has become mainstream. The Berlin scene shapes the landscape of urban and wall art and has a significant influence on the field.