Following on from the recent visit to Berlin, it was extremely tiring trying to fit as much as we could into a small amount of time. However, it was really beneficial to clear my head and gain some much needed inspiration.
The hostel that we stayed in was really nice, and I think staying in this kind of environment made it more enjoyable and exciting.
Eps51 - Studio Visit
While in Berlin we were fortunate enough to visit a graphic design studio called Eps51 who develop visual concepts across various media. There clients range from the fields of art and design to commercial enterprises. There studio has a strong focus on typography and bilingual design which I found really interesting. The way that they layout type was really inspiring, mentioning a poster where they had 3 different sizes and these could be laid out on top of each other in different compositions. This was a really strong concept and a whole new way to thinking about presenting information. It has encouraged me to try and experiment more with typography next year as it has so many potentials. I thought the way that they worked a lot with Arabic was really amazing, expanding their talents between a different language and culture.
They also mentioned how they only worked on projects and with people that share the same values and beliefs as them, this is something that I personally believe is really important rather than selling out yourself. They talked about their initial struggles setting up but mentioned how they got help from family and friends and said the main thing is to just keep producing work to help build up a portfolio.
Overall it was really beneficial and they talked about a few projects more in depth and there journey to where they are now. In relation to my own practice it has shown that I could experiment with type and concepts a lot more to produce a really engaging piece of design. It was also clear that setting up your own studio is hard work, but extremely rewarding when you succeed. Although I don't want to set up my own company it is interesting to hear there experiences.
Hamburger Bahnhof Contemporary Art Museum
I really enjoyed my visit here because of the pop artists that they had on display. Pop art was something that I studied in art at school so for me it was very nostalgic. It was also amazing to see how large some of these pieces were, in particular Andy Warhol's General Moa. I had done an artist copy of this piece at such a small scale, so to see the original was quite shocking but also amazing. Seeing the pop art on display and the way they use colour and layout has encouraged me to be more experimental within my designs.
Holocaust memorial
We also visited the Holocaust memorial whilst in Berlin, it was eerily beautiful. The various sized concrete blocks gave off a cold, hardness which emphasised the sombre mood.
Reichstag Dome
We also managed to also go up to the Reichstag Dome which was a magnificent piece of architecture. The use of mirrors created an interesting reflective display which showed ordered fragments. In the dome you could see a 360 degree view of Berlin which was quite breath taking. It is also amazing how such a beautiful piece of architecture can be used functionally using the suns energy.
Overall going to Berlin and being around another culture was really inspiring, the streets of Berlin were full of character as street art is very prominent. Being surrounded by new exciting visual culture made me feel more inspired and excited about what I could create.
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