wanderlust

Get Off The Street?

In line with the berlin-artparasites Urban Art: Graffiti Edition week, there is a related exhibition that we recommend urban art enthusiasts to check out. Luckily, the urban art exhibition “Silence is a Lie” has been extended, so there is still plenty of time to check out the largest urban art exhibition in Berlin. Under one roof, you can peruse the work of more than 100 artists from 5 continents – many of which you have seen scattered around the Berlin streets. From Berlin-based Prost and Alias, to A1One (Iran) and JBAK (USA) – this exhibit covers a wide range. 

Break the Silence Globally

It’s already impossible to talk about contemporary art and ignore the importance of urban art. With this in mind, “Silence is a lie” at SEZ (a historic building from the German Democratic Republic – GDR) brings a selection of artworks from all corners of the world into a single exhibition space in Berlin that covers more than 1000 square meters. The idea behind the project was to give artists around the world the opportunity to break the silence and express their view of the world freely. But this is not an exhibition about a subgroup trying to rebel, but a collective of artists that create in a defined style, expressing their thoughts and belief with a similar language.

And this language is very POP: it’s easy to read because it relates strictly to our everyday life. The artists play with universal symbols and elements internationally recognized: it’s all about a globalized world. So it doesn’t matter if the piece comes from China or Brazil; it always looks familiar. The exhibition shows urban art in its best and exactly as it should be: ironic, political and fresh. Entertainment for all.

Silence is a Lie
Meet the bride and groom! Che Guevara and Monalisa: separed by time, but united by popular culture. 
 

silence is a lie
The saint of capitalism is always there to answer the prayers of  the rich – but never of the poor. 
 
Silence is a LieA crying mattress?! 
 

Silence is a Lie The exhibition brings to life creepy figures that definitely break the silence! (Photos: Chris Phillips)

But when taking the art from the streets to closed art spaces, there are always some risks. Last month, we asked our readers if, since the exhibition is hosted in a closed gallery, there would be a loss of context. We got some good responses back. Firstly, its important to recognize that urban art becomes less accessible when taken from public spaces. The exhibition is very successful when it comes to curating and gathering talented artists, but it fails a bit in its aim of accessibility –  it only ”breaks the silence” of the visitors willing to pay 3 euros to get in. Though, to their credit, you can get a good view of artwork on the wall outside!
 

SEZ – ”Silence is a Lie”  Landsberger Allee 77 Fri-Sun 10 am – 7 pm

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