Last week we went to see some interesting art and we saw much more than that. Everything blended well - people complemented artworks in the way they dressed, posed or or moved around. Rocker to rocker, raver to raver, hipster to Peres Projects, _____ (continue the sequence).

THURSDAY 21.11

Berlin under 30 @ Shakespeare and Sons Bookstore

Poetry readings at my university were synonymous with short people shouting angrily. Berlin under 30 was quite the opposite—not only were the five readers of average or greater height, but they represented a broad coverage of topics including young love, sexting (are they the same these days?), and freelance work.

Held in Shakespeare and Sons, the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable, perfect with the world-class bagels and ginger tea served as per usual. +6 for good snacks, good poems, and good people. (N)

SATURDAY 23.11

Nathan Carter @ Esther Schipper

When people hear that you are going to an art gallery, one of two images pop into their head: a dirty, recent-graduate wearing plaid flannel and skinny jeans, selling Pilsners for 3 euros a bottle out of a renovated garage with paintings on the wall (see also: Neukölln); a black-tie event where the talk-of-the-town stop by for drinks, apertifs, and to catch up (see also: Esther Schipper). +15 for classiness.

Crowded as per usual, the juxtaposition of the busy and energetic crowd floating by the security-themed artwork was ironic and enjoyable. The downfall? While the stunningly inoffensive tube lights lined the ceiling, bare light bulbs hung from the ceiling to illuminate the artwork in a pale, yellow cast. While surely intentional, it added nothing to the piece. -1 for the distraction. (N)

Nora Schultz @ Isabella Bortolozzi

Isabella Bortolozzi proved to be a greater labyrinth than Berghain, Sisyphos, or any other club you can imagine. With doors leading every-which way, and art lining both the walls and the floors, it was more than imaginable that many lost souls spent hours wandering these halls trying to find their way out. Additionally, the question still remains: of the many art pieces on the ground, which were we to step on and which were strictly no-touching?

An easygoing and young crowd, half the gallery proved a tight-squeeze to fit through, while other corridors were open and sprawling. (N)

Leo Gabin - Tallahassee @ Peres Projects

If you know anything about Berlin art scene, you know who Javier Peres is and you can easily imagine openings at his gallery. As expected, trendy people that came there to make a statement. I came there for what I read about the show was too good to be missed. Referencing Harmony Korine luckily wasn't a random hommage to his coolness as I thought it would be. Artwork was depicting the sort of life and its aesthetic usually filed as Korine, as if it doesn't exist outside fiction, somewhere in the remote corners of America. I learned from an American that it really does, and it makes me appreciate artwork that has that vibe more than before.

Appealing paintings, sized huge, make me think of the dimensions of my room and compare to the dimensions of the canvas. Two could fit on the ceiling, in a scenario where I could afford them.

+15 for the mesmerizing video; Korine would probably award it with some +++ too (A)

Natalie Czech - I Cannot Repeat What I Hear @ Capitain Petzel 

Maybe my perception was somehow altered on Saturday evening, but it seemed like the prettiest people of Berlin met on Karl-Marx-Allee and splitted in two groups, one went to Peres Projects and the other to Capitain Petzel. It was pleasant to observe interesting faces and equally interesting artworks. Moral of the story? Start your weekend evenings with an exhibition opening; the opening hours are usually well adjusted (18-21h) for you to attend the show, get a dinner, get drunk in a bar and get in line for the club at the ideal time of the night. It is recommendable to start making friends at the first stage.

Lovely poems were seen / read. +11 for the one above (A)