A four-part mural project initiated by Señor Schnu and Urban Spree, responding to the importance of art and culture during the COVID-19 crisis.

6-18 June 2020
Urban Spree
Revaler Str. 99, Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany

During this time, when we have not been allowed to meet our friends, hug, or rub our eyeballs against the eyeballs of strangers, I fill my days in other ways:

1. Many hours on the internet. Targeted advertising thinks I want to get pregnant and learn to draw ‘like a pro’ so I can ‘blow people’s minds’.
2. Walks around the neighbourhood. I am comforted by an abundance of children’s chalk drawings on the pavement (spaced 1.5m apart). I listen to the birds and marvel at spring. The world continues. I feel most alive when I visit the cemetery.
3. Self-reflection on steroids.

I sign up to the online drawing class.

Now shops are opening up again and maybe one day we can gather with friends like we used to.

Fifty-six days in isolation and I have survived.

Interview for Urbanpresents with Katja Aksenenka, photos curated by Katia Hermann

Many thanks to Adriano Rosselli and How To Kill A Graffiti for their painty assistance; Caitlin Hespe who inspired this mural with her ‘self-reflection on steroids’ quote; Layla Rubi for digital prep-help; Alexandra Spence, Jan Kucic-Riker and Momo for pre-mural text-edits/-encouragings; and many others who have supported this project in different ways.

StillStand team:
organisers/jury/curators: Señor Schnu • Urban Spree
jury/curators: Katia Hermann • Johannes Mundinger • Julia Benz
documenting team: Sophie Schermer • Lukas K Stiller • Sehr Bueno • Anna Neis • Katja Aksenenka

Other StillStand artists:

Coco Bergholm (19 June – 2 July). Interview. Photo: Lukas K Stiller

Arbeitstitel ( 3 – 16 July). Interview. Photo: Lukas K Stiller

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Narrative paintings

mural narrative painting