Today was a long and busy day. We started off early with a meeting and then a tour of Reichstag. My favorite parts were the Russian graffiti preserved on the walls and the views from the top of Reichstag. It was interesting learning about the way that German government works, and the history of the Reichstag building itself.
After that we walked for a good long time to Museum Insel. Sara and I
decided to save our 3 days passes for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday so
that we could fully enjoy the museums. Instead, in the hour time we had,
we walked around the whole complex, taking pictures of the beautiful
courtyards and the exterior of the museums.
While the
Holocaust memorial is unmistakable when you walk by the area, Ullman’s Book
Burning Memorial is easy to pass, and even step on, without noticing. Ullman takes a more subtle approach, letting
viewers seek out instead of assaulting them with a memorial that is impossible
to miss. I liked both memorials, even
though they are very different from each other.
While Ullman’s was harder to see, the empty bookshelves seem haunting, just as the Holocaust memorial.
On our way back, we stopped to examine some wall art near Alexanderplatz. The artists I have seem the most of art Alias, el Bocho, and Mein Lieber Prost. These artists seem ready and willing to put their art anywhere and everywhere. I like images that stand alone, but seeing artists play off one another makes for interesting commentary. Alias is one of my favorite artists. While many of the street art I have seen seems colorful, eye catching, and sometimes even frivolous, Alias always has a serious and somber tone, using his black, white, and red colors sparingly and simply. He seems to give a voice to those who have no voice, and sometimes no face, and I always enjoy spotting one of his images on the streets.
Look, another Alias!
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