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DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY ART FOR CHILDREN: HAUS KUNST MITTE —RECOMMENDED BY MARIANNA HILLMER

DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY ART FOR CHILDREN: HAUS KUNST MITTE —RECOMMENDED BY MARIANNA HILLMER

At Gedanken spielen Verstecken (“Thoughts Play Hide and Seek”), an exhibition curated by non-profit organization Ephra, all questions are allowed. Getting up close to the works in a playful way, children, young people and adults alike are able to experience contemporary art. Twenty works are presented from artists including Paula Anke, Olafur Eliasson, Ali Kaaf, Wie-yi T. Lauw, Dafna Maimon, Wolfgang Karl May, Ayumi Paul, Yorgos Sapountzis, Tomás Saraceno, Nadine Schemmann and Vlado Velkov. Visitors can experience art in very different ways: there are spaces to play loudly, but also areas of rest. Jeppe Hein, for example, asks visitors to paint their current emotional mood as a self-portrait on the wall. At the “Limelight” installation by Ulrich Vogl, it’s party time and you can perform your favorite songs with your children and friends. There are many hands-on stations and the children’s own works become part of the exhibition, which grows and increases in diversity with each visitor. The exhibition runs until 11.6.2023 and is recommended for everyone who wants to explore contemporary art with little ones.

Text: Marianna Hillmer / Credit: Bernd Borchardt; Christian Jankowski; Claudia Hill; HKM; Jeppe Hein

Marianna Hillmer lives with her family in Schöneberg. A native of Hamburg with Greek roots, she is the publisher of the independent travel book imprint Reisedepeschen.

Haus Kunst Mitte, Heidestr.54, 10557 Berlin–Moabit; map
Thu–Sun 12–18 Uhr (Tue–Fri mornings for student groups by appointment)

@reisedepeschen
@hauskunstmitte

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CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS: CHILI & PAPRIKA STORE —  RECOMMENDED BY ANDREA ELSPER

CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS: CHILI & PAPRIKA STORE — RECOMMENDED BY ANDREA ELSPER

The small store Chili & Paprika at the corner of Danziger and Greifswalder Straße is almost easy to miss from the outside. But once you find the door, a universe of its own opens up: it’s colorful and exuberant here. Piñatas hang from the ceiling, colorful skulls are everywhere, catrinas stand between fresh green tomatoes and colorful packaging. Here, you can feel the merging of Latin American food and culture. This cultural exchange is particularly important to founder Mathias Jung, who opened the store 10 years ago and has since been assisted by Karina. It all started with cooking: Mathias was introduced to chilis in various kitchens in Berlin, and his passion was sparked. In exchange with like-minded people, it quickly became clear that there was a lack of supply in Berlin. And so the store was born – Chili und Paprika has kept its name to this day, but the assortment has expanded and now includes products from Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Costa Rica in addition to goods from Mexico.

Time and again, events take place in front of the store: from coffee tastings to music performances. On traditional holidays such as Dia de Muertos (31.10.-02.11.) in particular, you can experience a touch of Mexico, but cultural exchange also comes through the palate. If you don’t know yet what chipotle tastes like or what’s behind the word “mole,” you should take the plunge. I did and since then I can’t imagine my life without the smoky flavor and chocolate/chili. It’s also healing to give tequila a second chance. Shelved in the collective memory of a 90s youth as a bottled drink with a red hat on it, enjoyable only with lemon and salt thrown in at the same time, tequila deserves credit as so much more. A real tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave, the original variant of which is mezcal, a mixture of agave that is then heated in a pit to dissolve the pulp. The flavor that emerges is faintly smoky, intense, and it immediately becomes clear why this drink was once seen as a divine compound and reserved for rituals. Another speciality of the store are the fresh tortillas. These come from the first organic tortilleria in Europe Tlaxcalli Nixtamal, which is located not far from the gates of Berlin and grows its corn without any genetic engineering. Of course, there are also classic tortillas chips with homemade dips. But if you want to get to know the diversity of Latin America, we recommend the cookbook “Taco Tales” by Ivette Perez de Wenkel, which also provides plenty of reasons to visit the store again and again.

Text: Andrea Elsper  / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Andrea Elsper lives in Berlin and works as an art director and set designer for CeeCee, among other clients. She finds inspiration on her extensive travels and enjoys bringing these culinary influences back to Germany.

Chili und Paprika, Danziger Str.118, 10405 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
Thu-Fri 13–18h30, Sat 12–17h30

@chili_und_paprika_berlin

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YNT BERLIN: FUN AND POPPY IN NORTHERN MITTE — RECOMMENDED BY NADIA BEHRENS

YNT BERLIN: FUN AND POPPY IN NORTHERN MITTE — RECOMMENDED BY NADIA BEHRENS

If you are craving a little color in your life on these gray days, then head up to Berlin Mitte-Nord, where a visit to YNT Berlin is sure to enchant and brighten up your mood. Since 2020, Yanti Damerau has been showcasing objects that make life more colorful and cheerful in her extraordinary concept store. Here you will find carefully selected stationery, jewelry, textiles, vases, ceramics, furniture and decorative items for the home. My heart was captured by the wonderful bags from Bazartherapy, exclusively available here, right from my first visit: Printed with retro motifs or in Nathalie Lété’s charming designs, and filled with fantastic knickknacks, they make for the perfect present — and a pleasant surprise for both giver and recipient –- for both young and old. Then there are the incredibly imaginative glass and porcelain goods from Qubus: the best Czech designers combining traditional craftsmanship with pop art and intelligence, which is how they create beautiful vases and humorous pieces like “Waterproof,” a vase that looks like a rubber boot and stands decoratively beside a marble counter. Kept monochrome in white, the beautiful salesroom, stylishly furnished in simple elegance, offers an appropriate stage for fun and pop – the curious eye is sure to always finds eccentric items with bold colors and distinctive shapes. Yanti has created a gem in this area with YNT Berlin, which holds wondrous treasures with a special twist from the European home and abroad for you – and is definitely worth a visit.

Text: Nadia Behrens / Photos: YNT Berlin

Nadia Behrens has lived in Berlin since 1996 and has been passionately exploring the city’s concept stores ever since. In December 2022, she fulfilled her dream of owning her own store, and with Yes Studio Berlin, she now delights others in search of beautiful objects.

YNT Berlin, Chausseest.124, 10115 Berlin–Mitte; map
Tue–Fri 11–19h & Sat 12–18h

@yntberlin

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VICTOR FOXTROT DESIGN COMES TO BERLIN — RECOMMENDED BY NILS PHILIPP

VICTOR FOXTROT DESIGN COMES TO BERLIN — RECOMMENDED BY NILS PHILIPP

This is a pop-up that certainly lives up to its name: the colors of the furniture, lighting and home goods from Victor Foxtrot are nothing if not striking. Based in Hamburg, the design studio is setting up shop in Wilmersdorf for one day only this Friday (24.03.2023) with a selection of reduced forms and single colors. These are recurrent themes of founder pair Florian Vogel and Carolin Kreidel’s designs, which are mostly manufactured in their own workshop in the Hansestadt. The duo’s pieces immediately catch your eye with their bright, dazzling forms, making a smart addition to monocolor interiors. A swinging armchair made of powder-coated steel tubes in blood orange? A sage green chair with matching cushions? A wafer-thin pink side table? A neon yellow ottoman under an ocean blue floor lamp? Take your pick. Incidentally: we’re told the name Victor Foxtrot has something to do with cufflinks and the NATO phonetic alphabet – we’ll let Carolin and Florian do the explaining in person…

Text: Nils Philipp Dommert / Photos: Victor Foxtrot, Koy+Winkel

Nils Philipp is a poet who also works as a design, art and architecture mediator and consultant. A passionate writer and decorator, aesthetics and design are what makes Nils tick.

Victor Foxtrot Pop-up, Grainauer Str.11 10777 Berlin–Wilmersdorf; map
24.03.2023 11–18h

@victor_foxtrot

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HATS AND HEADPIECES FROM MARYAM KEYHANI — RECOMMENDED BY FRIEDERIKE SCHILBACH

HATS AND HEADPIECES FROM MARYAM KEYHANI — RECOMMENDED BY FRIEDERIKE SCHILBACH

When you enter the Maryam Keyhani shop, you’re welcomed into a dream world of fabulous hats and extravagant headpieces. Some are puffed-up and cloud-like, others are shaped like a pink soufflé. Then there’s the other objects: a giant cake sculpture, surreal sunglasses, delicate pastel candle holders, baroque ruffs, little handbags, dolls and a pair of mini silk legs that dangle in front of a curtain. Owner Maryam blends into this dreamy space with her striking appearance, whether she’s in a harlequin costume, bloomers or an opulent dress paired with one of her hats. Maryam grew up in Tehran, Iran, emigrating to Toronto when she was a child. She studied painting and sculpture before moving into jewelry design and then hatmaking. The artist bought her first vintage hat in Paris in her early 20s and since then has never left the house without one. “I can hide under it and feel safe. It’s part of my identity,” she says.

The designs are all about playfulness: there’s something instantly mood-lifting and transformative about Maryam’s larger-than-life creations. Put on one of her pieces and you’ll immediately feel lighter and ready to face Berlin’s oft-gray skies. “Especially now the reality of the world is rather dark, so I think more than ever it’s important to create and make beauty,” she says. Maryam had been selling her works through her website and Instagram, but the moment felt right to open an actual store. “I’d love for it to become a community place where people gather and chat and laugh.” How lucky we are that she’s doing it in Berlin…

Text: Friederike Schilbach / Photos: Sophie Doering

Friederike Schilbach is Editorial Director for publisher Aufbau, where she works with authors including Édouard Louis, Sigrid Nunez and Ilona Hartmann. She lives with her family in Mitte.

Maryam Keyhani, Choriner Str.50, 10435 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Wed–Fri 13–16h & Sat 12–16h

@maryamkeyhanishop

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