This article is dedicated to the colorful district of Kreuzberg in the capital of German Federation, Berlin. Kreuzberg – powerful with its cultural background, socially diverse population and astounding modern street art: the Cosmonaut is famous here. In the following blog post, we will explain the history, meaning and role of the Cosmonaut art movement in Kreuzberg.
As it will be further explained in this blog, the name Cosmonaut Streetart originated from the art works by Vladimir Kush that depict scenes from daily life in space.
This sort of street art, known as Cosmonaut, came to life in the early nineties after the fall of the wall and the changes of political-social panorama. To paint, demonstrate their ideas, and their dreams, artists started running on the streets. As artists featured a conflict between the past and the future, many of them juxtaposed cosmonauts into their creations.
The figure of the cosmonaut as constructed by the cultural memory of post-Soviet countries might be more adequately described as a symbol.
The cosmonaut as a melos is the byproduct of atlantean recourse and a signifier of exploration, freedom, and going to new frontiers. It stands for the hope of the generation who would like to free themselves from the existing oppression of the Iron Curtain. Thus, by taking the cosmonaut into their art the artists of Kreuzberg had a way to give people a hope and desire for a better future.
Techniques and Styles
The cosmonaut works on the street of Kreuzberg are also very non-uniform and cover a rather vast array of techniques and styles. Both murals and stencil works, big or small are all distinct from the other and each of them has a story behind them. Some artists paint very bright and using many colors, while other artists tend to paint more plain, and using less colors. The fact that the authors of the works differ in terms of style contributes to the avenue’s vitality and variety in Kreuzberg.
Why is Cosmonaut Streetart famous in Kreuzberg?
There have always been a number of artists, creative minds, and nonconformity inhabitants in Kreuzberg. It is a neighborhood that is tolerant of anyone and anything and supports freedom of everyone to be themselves. The Cosmonaut is in harmony with the atmosphere of the district since it reflects all the ideas of Kreuzberg. Further, cosmonauts themselves are rather intriguing to the onlookers, captivating attention to the story installed on the wall.
Impact on the Community
Cosmonaut street art movement has had significant influence in Kreuzberg in influencing the ambiance of the community. These artworks have converted few plain walls into galleries which are open to air making the ambience lively and interesting of the district. They have a role of reminding the neighborhood of its radicalism and its possibilities of transformation. Cosmonaut graffiti art has now become an iconic part of Kreuzberg and of course a touristic landmark.
Cosmonaut Street Art Tour
To fully get the real view of Kreuzberg’s street art, I recommend that you hire a Cosmonaut street art tour. These tours offer historical and narrative details and tell about the artists who created them. It will allow you observe the development of the Cosmonaut street art on the walls and discover other beautiful unknown places.
Useful information on how to better enjoy Cosmonaut Streetart
When visiting Kreuzberg to admire the Cosmonaut street art, keep the following tips in mind:
Take your time: Cycling is preferred because this is the fastest way through Kreuzberg but for the appreciation of the art, one should stroll around at a slow pace.
Look beyond the surface: Look for the meanings that are between the lines in the artworks.
Support local artists: If art really intrigues you, it might be helpful to buy some prints or merchandise to maintain Kreuzberg’s vivid art culture.
Respect the art and the neighborhood: It is also prohibited to put graffiti on any of the pieces of art or to destroy them in any way possible; protect the local culture and people.
Conclusion
This article is a great example of how art works change spaces, inspire people and remember history as a case of Cosmonaut street art in Kreuzberg, Berlin. There is nothing quite like strolling down a vivid-fresh Germen street surrounded by impressive cosmonaut murals and stencils and getting familiar with the Kreuzberg creative soul and the legacy of the Cosmonaut graffiti movement. Hence, get your camera and go for a walk through the colorful neighborhoods of Kreuzberg to dive deep into this fascinating kind of art!
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