Last week @ frieze d/e discussion about Leben in der Blase (living in the bubble) in Monbijou Park as part of based in berlin- about the growing (and growingly indifferent) expatriate scene in Berlin, I ran into Santiago Taccetti, Argentinian artist living in Berlin a few monrths now, who reads bpigs tips diligently and reffers to them as his insider guide to the art scene here. He said he just missed the talk, like the minute he entered the room, everybody stood up and started clapping. We had to laugh, this talk was about him in a way and he only got to the front door. I told him not to worry, at least he was there, maybe that is far enough for now.

Later in the bar (in german):
I don’t see what the big deal is about, all artists live in a bubble, this is what we do. Yep, if this is a problem, it is part of a bigger problem. I used to be offended if I spoke German and they answered in English now I know it has nothing to do with me, or my accent, it has to do with them. If people talk to me in German, I answer in German, if they speak English I speak English. English is easier when I am drunk. There were over 400 people voting during the Curators Battle last March, only 2 of the texts were written in German. This did freak me out a bit, but I think Germans, actually like speaking English, makes them feel more international more jet set, I don’t know. Some Germans at least. There was this critique about based in berlin, that most of the artists have not dealt with the city or the fact they live here. Well you know, thank God! I don’t know if I can see another video about Potsdamer Platz or some crazy installation about the Wall.

Same night in an email to BpigsTips:
Guten Tag! Da wir nun mal in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland leben, in einer deutschen Stadt und unsere Muttersprache Deutsch ist, nicht Englisch oder Italienisch…Warum sie immer alles in  Englischer Sprache mir zusenden und ich glaube auch anderen deutschen Bundesbürgern. Ich denke, es könnte den Anschein eventuell erheben, das man seine eigene Kultur dem vergessen überlässt, denken sie an Goethe Schiller oder Hesse die ein Zeugnis unserer großen Deutschsprachigen Kultur sind! Es ist ein Desaster gleichens…Unsere Großen Köpfe und Denker würden sich buchstäblich im Grabe umdrehen!

In a caffee in Venice when I asked for a breakfast menu (before noon):
This is Italy Seniorina! We don’t have breakfast!! This is not Germany or England, we just have coffee and a brioche in the morning!!!

The waiter stormed away ignoring my exasperated: Brioche is breakfast, isn’t it?