Berlin: Mecca of culture, art and lifestyle
 

The New York Times discovers the Literature Metropolis Berlin.

In Berlin, Authors Find Their Voice

What are your experiences with the city´s lifestyle ???

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courtesy unlike berlin

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copyright victorgrosman

My most favourite city in Europe...bar none. The most vibrent, visually complex place I have ever been, an absolute sight.

I agree. It's the best city for contemporary art in my opinion and I'd love to live there over any other european city.

Yep Berlin is fast becoming one of the main cultural capitals of Europe, its currently the world capital of art scenes at the moment (alongside Beijing), taking over from London and its Britart. One thing Ive noticed is that although London holds on to the global art trade, many London artists themselves are decamping from the East End to Berlin now.

One of the best things that happened to the city was it went bankrupt, and we could all take a note from that book especially in this day and age. Low prices in Berlin has actually made quality of life better, with everything affordable once again and that has seen in a huge resurgence of leftwing culture, nightlife (people can afford to party every night now), and of course attracting artists and creative industries with its edge. We need forward thinking councils like Berlin, that can transform a tragedy to its advantage.

Yep.

From ultra anarchists (they wanted to spent a beer on me for voting their party at Berlin city elections)

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copright patrick wilken at flickr

...to cute starlets,

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copyright ali kepenek

almost the whole world seems to be drawn to affordable Berlin.

But it remains open if another city can copy the situation of Berlin.
After all it was the historic precondition (30 years of division by a wall) which lead to this unique position of today.

Berlin retains position as a foremost zeitgeist metropolis

Quote:
"It remains the bleeding edge of Europe, and a unique position as seat of government provides some stability in increasingly harsh times. In Berlin the art scene is still flourishing, mostly because everything comes off a lower base, both for cost and talent. Its never been about money as much here as other art centers like New York or London. The music scene continues to innovate, and Germany in general has not suffered as badly as other European countries hit by the credit crunch. Add in a strong Euro, and Berliners become an enigma - povo at home, increasingly affluent abroad. Solid."

Zeitgeist Metropolis Berlin
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courtesy aguyiusedtoknow's photostream at flickr

like the old song says...Das ist Berlin!

Nothing new:

• Video Link

Art?

ohh yea. I go to Parsons (a design/art school) and all they talk about is the art that comes out of Berlin.

The center of art in Europe isn't Paris or London (which is what most people assume i guess?), Berlin is definitely where it's "happening". Lots of conceptual stuff...

Here are 4 of the most well known artists currently living and working in Berlin....

Olafur Eliasson

http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/top...s_eliasson.jpg
Time magazine

Norbert Bisky

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1009713,00.jpg
Spiegel Online

Jonathan Meese
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Spiegel Online

Elmgreen / Dragset
http://www.mcachicago.org/col_images...ortCut_web.JPG
© Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset 2003. Photo © MCA, Chicago.

visited Berlin in 2007, quickly found out it was worth another visit and did so again in 2008.

Unlike other cities I visited in the region, Berlin indeed had a grungy been-through-hell feel, and justifiably so, I would suspect. In contrast, Frankfurt am Main would fit the personality of someone who wore a bow-tie.

Wall Street Journal writes....

....Berlin has evolved from austere oddity into one of the world's cultural hotspots, with nightlife and a gallery scene many consider the best in Europe.

I'm planning a trip next year to take in the techno scene there. Easily the global epicenter of that music. Can't wait. :cool:

Love to visit.

Just wanted to underline the gritty image of contemporary Berlin
Megan Fox presents ...herself, at the Sony Center....
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/...33_224x600.jpg
Mail Online

Ah, yes. Can't go wrong with the nightlife and restaurants in Berlin.:tup::banana:

Here is a nice image trailer of Berlin.
It is rather featuring the business location
and the brand new airport to be completed in 2011,
but anyway, it gives a good impression of the contemporary metropolis.

Berlin Image Movie

Don´t expect major artistic innovations while watching the clip,
it´s for an airport company....

New York Times

This week, Berlin’s in-development cutting-edge fashion scene gets a major boost. After four years in Barcelona, Bread & Butter, the world’s most important urbanwear trade fair, is back home in Germany’s dynamic capital.

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http://www.travel-images.com/photo-germany330.html

Berlin is sort of like the Chicago of Europe. Both cites have had dark times in their past and are sometimes derided by snobs who like the more famous cities better (N.Y, L.A., San Fran; Paris, Rome, London), but in reality are just as wonderful as those cities