Berlin’s Creative Street Culture

Berlin is an lively city. The city is multicultural and is teeming with scientists and creative people alike. Much of the creative potential of the city is visible in public places across the city. Performers of all hues and affiliations can be seen performing in the open, in the many spots across Berlin. Although the city is strewn with countless places where you will find such creative people, I experienced the best form of creative street culture in such as Brandenbury Gate, Potsdamer Platz, Alexander Platz and around the museum complex, all within a few kilometers from one another. While every moment in these places are exciting the best time I thought were the afternoon and the evenings when these places are teeming with activity and people.

It could be a gloomy cloudy day or a bright day, the weather becomes an insignficant elements for creative performers. As you stand in these popular hangouts you witness unusual street performances and also get to meet unusual people and then your evening changes. This street scene changes everyday and even within different times of the same day as its almost impossible to see the same bunch of creative performers again. Perhaps these prople also keep moving around and never stick to the same place.

In one of my visits to Potsdamer Platz, in the evening, I met an automotive scientist, on the street. He was displaying his electric car that could run at 100 kms/hour and could travel upto 1000 kms with a single charge of the battery. In a discussion that lasted half an hour we discussed a lot of issues. What was surprising about this amazing gentleman was his passion to reach out to people, directly. He was there to create awareness about electric cars and dwindling petroleum fuel and also gathering feedback on his product.

In many of the other evenings I saw hoardes of other things – a music performance where an old lady was dressed like a rabbit, a young Micheal Jackson fan and bubble blowing activity. Even in nondescript locations in Berlin you can witness many such activities performances by artists of all hues and backgrounds – painters, singers, guitar players, saxophone players, violin players and techno-musicians.

Creativity perhaps knows no boundaries and spatial limits. It is everywhere. Be it the lively side lanes of Kolkata during the Durga Puja or the streets of Berlin, creative masters keep moving. Its this bunch of people who make our lives interesting and lively and the world a beautiful place to be in. Its perhaps such masters who leave an indelible impression on our hearts about cities, towns and countries. Unforgetable.

Bubble blowing in Branderbury Gate in Berlin	Musical Group performing in Alexander Platz
With an automotive scientist in Potsdamer Platz. Seen behind is his invention	A musician performing near Pergammon Museum
With a painter near the Pergammon Museum	Alexander Platz at night
Music with Rabbit Dance in Potsdamer Platz	A young Micheal Jackson lookalike performs in Brandenburg Gate