Class of 2021 - Isaak Belongia
Berlin, Germany has been described as a 'saturated' city, referring to the ways in which graffiti and street art have gradually become commonplace features of its visual landscape. The role of graffiti and street art today is bound up with the social and political history of Berlin, particularly including the legacy of the Berlin Wall and of division, as well as the more current issues of privatization and gentrification. My capstone project aims to engage with this aspect of Berlin’s current visual landscape by creating three musical pieces based upon three specific works of street art or graffiti in the city. These visual works include 1) the anonymous text graffiti “DIESE STADT IST AUFGEKAUFT!!!” in Prenzlauer-Berg, 2) the Kreuzberg mural “Astronaut / Cosmonaut” by Victor Ash, and 3) the “World’s People” mural by Schamil Gimajew at the East Side Gallery. In this process, I am particularly concerned with examining the way the visual style and content of the original works can inform my musical creations. In doing so, I aim to create music that can sonically complement these images found along Berlin's Walls.