Persons of Interest |

BSA is in Berlin this month to present a new show of 12 important Brooklyn Street Artists at the Urban Nation haus as part of Project M/7. PERSONS OF INTEREST brings to Berlin a diverse collection of artists who use many mediums and styles in the street art scene of Brooklyn. By way of tribute to the special relationship that artist communities in both cities have shared for decades, each artist has chosen to create a portrait of a Germany-based cultural influencer from the past or present, highlighting someone who has played a role in inspiring the artist in a meaningful way.

The four storey facade of the Urban Nation building has been painted by Icy & Sot, featuring a female portrait with the words FREEDOM. Looking closer it shows the population celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Puerto Rican born Don Rimx opted for the German civil engineer John A. Roebling, who designed the Brooklyn Bridge in the late 1800’s. Muralist artist Gaia has chosen Afghanistan-born German Muslim school teacher Fereshta Ludin who won the right to wear her headscarf in the public school system 12 years ago. Inspired by mid-century Hollywood actresses, street artist Dain decided to illustrate the infamous German actress Marlene Dietrich.

Urban Nation PM7 - Gaia

Celebrating urban diversity, Swoon decided to illustrate Turkish Immigrants, the largest ethnic minority in Germany.

Known for depicting the struggles and hopes of the working class in the US, stencil artist Chris Stain has picked German-born American poet, novelist, and short story writer Charles Bukowki as his Person of Interest.

Street artist Cake‘s wheat pasted paintings are paying tribute to German artist Käthe Kollwitz, whose works depict both aspects of life from the suffering to the truly happy sides.

Multi-disciplinary artist Specter is featuring a Brooklyn based and German born photographer Sally Montana, symbol of the connexion between Berlin and NY.

Artist NohJColey has decided to pay tribute to Afro-German feminist writer and activist Katharina Oguntoye, because of her contribution to the woman’s equality movement in Germany.

Urban Nation PM7 - NohJColey

Brooklyn based collage artist El Sol 25 is paying tribute to Hannah Höch, a Berlin rebel and one of the most important collage artists of the 20^th Century, innovator in the original Dada movement. Activist Esteban Del Valle picked George Grosz , known for his corrosive caricatures during Berlin roaring 1920’s. Del Valle revisited Grosz’ own 1926 painting, Eclipse of the Sun, with a contemporary twist.

Urban Nation PM7 - El Sol 25 Urban Nation PM7 - Esteban Del Valle Urban Nation PM7 - Onur

In parallel to the Brooklyn based artists, Onur Dinc (CH), NeverCrew (CH), DotDotDot (NO), Schwarzmaler (CH) and Andreas Englund (SE) completed new murals around the Urban Nation Building.

Urban Nation PM7 - Onur Dinc Urban Nation PM7 - Andreas Englund