FMP: Berlin Trip

Berlin Wall, Germany (March, 2014)

Berlinische Galerie, Germany (March, 2014)

The Holocaust Memorial. Berlin, Germany (March, 2014)

Modified observation sketch of the holocaust memorial

The trip to Berlin, Germany was not too influential on my concept, but instead provided a lot of food for thought on my visual representations. The Berlin wall introduced different characters to me. Arising questions like, do I want to represent the characters as I saw them in my dreams? Do I want to be less literal? How can I make the characters contribute to the disturbing nature of the film I wish to produce? Should they be vibrant, obscure, flat, expressive etc? 

My visit to the Berlinische Galerie introduced me to the artist Franz Ackermann, who's art captivated me for hours. The experienced provoked so many questions and opened my eyes to the importance of detail, not necessarily in regards to intricacy, but what each and every part means, what it communicates. The manic, visual maps that Ackermann creates involve many different mediums including paint and photography, which creates layers and depth to the work. It was truly delightful to discover all the secrets that revealed themselves throughout each piece in pockets of detail.

The Holocaust Memorial was a daunting experience. We were gradually submerging in the graves of the dead, once again conjuring the idea of escape. In my sketch, the graves are beginning to fall and I have included the "Royal Road", leading the path out of the graves. This was a small idea I was working with on the spot, trying to illustrate what a break through into lucidity might do to the environment if I were dreaming in that second. It kind of conveys the initial state of mental escapism.