Photographs from Workshop in Berlin Part 1

Here we go,

Sorry everyone for the late entry!

Right, the next WIRES* workshop destination is Berlin. As we initially planned. Foremost, I thank you Giovanni and Nele Broenner for being a great and wonderful host that made me feels at home while I stayed in Berlin.

I arrived in Berlin with on the 21st Sept 09 after 24 hours long bus trip from Bordeaux, France.

Arrived in Berlin after such a long trip was a great relief. Nele and her son Luca picked me up from the bus station. Since it was my first time in Berlin, I bombarded Nele with 1001 questions about the histories, current situations and cultures of one of the most famous city in Europe.

When you are in the city, one cannot missed the Berlin TV Tower that easily situated in the city center and became one of the recognized landmark in Berlin. Just in case you got lost anywhere in the city, always follow the TV Tower direction, and you'll be fine.

After I recovered from my trip, we started our workshop with follow up from our discussion in Angoulême specifically about the inter-relation of our stories and WIRES* book design and production.

We went to visit the Neurotitan bookshop the next day to check out the gallery space that we planned to have one of WIRES* exhibition. Not really easy to find the place if you don't know your way around and without the proper map and direction. Thanks to Nele, I discovered this amazing place although to walk up the stairs to the shop (as you can see in the photos, the stairs are covered from wall to wall with graffiti, stickers, drawings, posters etc...) was really intimidating sight for a first time visitor like myself.

However, the bookshop is really a haven for independent comics, non-mainstream and self-made (limited print) comics and artwork, graphic novels from other European countries, Graphic Design and Illustration books, hand-made novelties and souvenirs, t-shirt and etc... What a rare sight for someone like me whose so used to the mainstream comics shop.

The gallery is situated on the same floor attached to the bookshop. Early on, we had a discussion about the possibility of having one of WIRES* exhibition in there, and one of the concerned was about filling up the gallery space. It's quite spacious, but I'm sure with proper planning and preparation, filling up the space wouldn't be a problem. But again, we'll come back to it later...

We also discussed and learning lots about different culture and life from both Asia and Europe whenever we all have time together. Another valuable and precious experience that I gained from my visit.

Anyway, although comics culture isn't really obvious here in Berlin, but they have another visual culture that is really amazing and inspiring. The graffiti and street art surrounded this city wherever you go in the city. Well, I'll continue on that in part two of our workshop in Berlin.

Nele and Giovanni, feel free to correct me in any of the text.
Until later, take care all!

Cheers.