TRAVEL 2011
Mar 28, 2016
T R A V E L 2 0 1 1
F I V E M O N T H S N I N E C O U N T R I E S S I X T E E N C I T I E S
MY EUROPEAN JOURNEY
TOOK PLACE WHILE I STUDIED
ABROAD IN TRIER GERMANY
FOR FIVE MONTHS, STUDYING
COMMUNICATION DESIGN AT THE
FACHHOCHSCHULE, TRIER .
0 1 . 0 3 . 2 0 1 1 - 0 1 . 0 8 . 2 0 1 1
24.03.2011
27.07.2011
Paris, France
24.03.2011
27.07.2011
PARIS, FRANCE
A R T H I S T O R Y
C A P I T O L
O F T H E W O R L D
My journey through Europe began in Paris,
the most romanticized city in the world.
Paris feels important when your there, walking
through the streets, seeing some of the most
iconic structures known to man. It feels romantic
and magnificent at the same time. The buildings,
streets, parks, fashion, cuisine, and language all
have an elegance that is very inspiring, and unique
to the Paris culture. The Musée du Louvre is by far
the most impressive and extensive art museum I
have visited, containing over 380,000 objects
from pre-history to the 19th century. Walking
through the Louvre is like walking through an art
history text book. It was incredible to see so many
paintings in person that I have studied for years. I
spent three days in Paris, and they were by far the
most intensive three days of travel I experienced.
With so much to see in Paris, the eager tourist in
me could not sit still or waste a single moment. I
walked everywhere, and embraced the city in
every way possible in that short period of time.
PARIS, FRANCE
Louis XIV of France Hyacinthe Rigaud
Grasse 1732 Paris Jean-Honoré Fragonard
ONE DOES NOT CLIMB
TO ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT,
RATHER, ONE CLIMBS
BECAUSE HE IS ENLIGHTENED
Grasse 1732 Paris Jean-Honoré Fragonard Cupid And Psyche Antonio Canova
10.04.2011
21.04.2011
Kreisau, Poland
10.04.2011
21.04.2011
E A T , D R I N K ,
A N D B E A R T S Y
It took one very tumultuous, miserable
eleven hour bus ride to Kreisau, Poland.
On that journey, I had no idea that I was in for
one of the best experiences I could ever have. I
remarkably found myself in this tiny town by taking
part in the 2011 European Forum of History and
Arts. This ten day art intensive program introduced
me to over seventy-nine student artists from
twelve participating universities and nine different
countries. I witnessed the creativity of all kind that
was unique to each country, city, or university of
each student. The program offered a vast variety
of programs for freedom in creativity that included
painting, various drawing medias, digital art, short
films, performance art, paper sculpture, and land
art. Within this program, the participants would
work within the field or medium of choice and
develop some type of artistic representation of
Kreisau, and its historical significance as a place of
Nazi resistance as well. We were given the theme
‘forced migration’, and at the end of the ten days,
showcased our new artwork as an exhibition in
Kreisau. Most were inspired by the surroundings in
Kreisau as well as the historical significance. This
incredibly tiny, humble town has a population of
220 people, and contains one tiny “market” next to
where we were staying. A walk through the town
shows a landscape of rolling farms and homes.
Various student works
SEVENTY-NINE STUDENTS T WELVE UNIVERSITIES & NINE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES COME TOGETHER FOR A JOINT EXHIBITION WITH THE THEME
FORCED MIGRATION.
FRAGMENTING WALL BY SAMANTHA FINE & JESSICA MARAK
FRAGMENTING WALL BY SAMANTHA FINE & JESSICA MARAK
P A P E R
P L A N E S
Out of the vast range of workshops offered
in Kreisau, paper sculpture was the most
foreign medium to me. Naturally, this is why
I chose to take part in that particular workshop.
This collaborated work was turned into a kind of
performance piece, by literally building a wall out
of paper that would force others to walk around
the wall that was obstructing their path in order to
coexist with the theme ‘forced migration’. Our final
product consisted of twenty white paper pillars
that stood over six feet tall. The pillars can be
moved to stand in a straight line, or staggered. The
top parts of the pillars contained die cut triangles,
which show movement. This embodies the pain
that the people of Poland were forced to endure
throughout this period of time.
10.04.2011
21.04.2011
Roma, Italy
10.04.2011
21.04.2011
Before going to Europe, Rome was the
most ‘famed’ city in my mind. It was special
to me because of the art history and architectural
history in the city. Rome seemed even more
extensive, with so much ground to cover in just a
few days. I found my independence as a traveler
here, by distancing myself from my group and
really exploring what seemed to call to me. Rome
is a beautiful Italian city, with a history that spans
over two and a half thousand years. It is diffused
with history around every corner. Everything
A N C I E N T A R T ,
A R C H I T E C T U R E ,
& C U L T U R E
LAOCOÖN & HIS SONS
that I had planned on seeing was so much more
monumental to see in person than to read about it
in a book. From the Vatican to the Sistine Chapel,
there is nothing that can compare to actually
seeing them in person. The ancient architecture
throughout the city is magnificent. Near the
Colosseum, is the Roman Forum, which was my
favorite surprise to stumble upon through my
explorations of this ancient city.
27.05.2011
30.05.2011
Amsterdam, Netherlands
27.05.2011
30.05.2011
It takes two expensive, polar opposite trips
to understand Amsterdam. My first trip was
with a group of thirteen people. We traveled the
city as a group, and spent most of our time in the
touristy center of the city. In my second trip, I went
with three people, and we rented an apartment
in a neighborhood away from the tourist–flooded
areas. Rather than visiting the attractions however,
found myself simply walking around, exploring the
streets and various stores. Amsterdam had an
incredible amount of graphic design on the streets.
A L M O S T
U N E X P E C T E D
Environmental design was everywhere, and this
was something I did not expect. The city is rather
calm once you get away from the center. The city is
flooded with people on bikes, which is coincidently
a great way to explore the city. I covered a lot of
ground on bike, and even got completely lost
one evening. There is such a unique culture in
Amsterdam that I had not see anywhere else. One
must really immerse themselves where the local
live in order to see the beauty of this city.
IMAGINATION
WILL TAKE YOU
EVERYWHERE
02.06.2011
04.06.2011
Berlin, Deutchland
02.06.2011
04.06.2011
Ich bin ein Berliner seems to be the city’s
slogan, and is seen all over Berlin. It means
‘I am a Berliner‘. It really is the perfect slogan for
the city, because after visiting this city, I wanted to
become a Berliner; to live there, to start my career
there. Berlin is an incredible city, perfect for the
young artist or designer. There is a niche for every
kind of art found in Berlin. Upon exploring the city,
I found creativity around every corner. The city
embraces its dark past, and has turned its scars
into art. There are signs of the history of World War
Two and the Cold War everywhere, but rather than
showing shame, Berlin shows to learn from the
past and turn it into something new. The Graffiti
culture of Berlin is evidence of this history, and is
A R T
W I T H O U T
B O R D E R S
a major aspect of the culture there. Graffiti covers
the streets of Berlin, turning every depressing,
cold brick building into an enormous, beautiful
mural. The graffiti artists see their work as way of
reclaiming the city. Graffiti culture began in Berlin,
and is traced back to the 1980’s in West Berlin.
The graffiti first blossomed in an neighborhood
called Kreuzberg, which is surrounded on three
sides by the Berlin Wall. Here, was miles of wall
space and little police scrutiny of the graffiti. This
street art in Berlin is seen everywhere, and it is
very apparent the influence it has had on the city,
and they way in which it shapes the culture.
EAST SIDE GALLERY, BERLIN WALL
The East Side Gallery is a set of murals on
the remaining panels on the Berlin Wall.
According to the website, the gallery is a 1.3km-
long section of the wall in the Friedrichshain-
Kreuzberg borough of Berlin. This area is a part of
the former East side of Berlin. Approximately 106
paintings by artists from all over the world cover
B A R R I E R S
I N T O B E A U T Y
this memorial for freedom and make it the largest
open air gallery in the world. The paintings at the
East Side Gallery document the time of change
and express the euphoria and great hopes for a
better and free future for all people of the world.
It is an international memorial for freedom. Many
of the murals have become very famous symbols
of the Berlin Wall, and the historical events that
have taken place in the city. The painting of Leonid
Brezhnev and Erich Honecker embracing in a
kiss was painted by Dmitri Vrubel. It is called My
God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love, and it
is one of the very iconic and memorable murals.
The sense of a sad history is very overwhelming
when visiting this gallery. The murals are all very
inspirational because they depict something so
powerful in a very meaningful and clever manner.
Tacheless: an international community of
artists, and a cultural melting pot. It embodies
Berlin to its very core. This center is in an old
ruined, formerly abandoned building located in
Mitte. It contains galleries and studios of local and
international artists. This place has become an
international meeting point for those interested
in art and culture. There are many different
kinds of artists located throughout this building
and outside of the building including sculptors,
painters, photographers, poster designers, and
jewelry designers. When I visited Tacheles, I met
artists from all over the world, including Italy, Spain,
Brazil, and Colombia. These people were young
artists, just like myself, and I was able to learn from
A N A R T I S T S ’
P A R A D I S E
them in a very inspirational way. This was one of
my favorite parts of Berlin, because you really get
a real sense about the culture of Berlin. Tacheles
a symbol for the situation of a reunified Berlin and
the dawn of a fresh, artistic freedom of Berlin.
The building, both inside and out, is covered in
graffiti. Walking through the many levels inside
the building is like traveling through a warped time
of paint, shapes, and words. It was a spectacular
place to explore both inside and outside.
04.06.2011
07.06.2011
Praha, Czech Republic
04.06.2011
07.06.2011
W H E R E T H E
L O C A L S G O
Art Prague is a local art show for various
artists all over Europe. It was a perfect chance
to see the kind of art people from all over the
region were creating. The show displayed many
different styles and types of art , including a
painting performance piece that I was fortunate
enough to see. Each artist had an area in the
gallery representing their work, and also showing
various amounts of promotional material. The
promotional material was great to see as a graphic
designer, and showed a lot of great printed design.
I learned and was inspired by a lot at this art show,
and the best part of it, was that if I had walked up
a different road on my way back from sightseeing,
I would have never found it. It was something I
simply stumbled upon, and turned out to be one of
the high points of my trip to Praha.
A GOOD TRAVELER HAS NO
FIXED PLANS, AND IS NOT
INTENT ON ARRIVING.
ARTIST UNKNOWN, SHOWN AT ART PRAGUE GALLERY
Praha, Czech Republic, was everything
but expected. The only planned aspect of the
trip was my transportation to get there and back
home. Everything was spontaneous, and it allowed
me to really get to know the city. Even the manner
in which I toured the city was impulsive. My group I
was traveling with was fortunate enough to meet a
local young architect out at one of Prague’s many
literally underground bars. This architect was
eager to practice his English, and gave my group a
detailed five hour tour of the city, explaining every
architectural detail of every building we passed by
T R U S T I N G
S T R A N G E R S
along our tour. He taught us that Prague is known
as ‘the golden city of spires’ The city takes great
pride in its architecture, that includes Medieval,
Baroque, and Renaissance style buildings. In
addition to this, it is a major art and culture center.
There is a constant flow of art openings, and
exhibitions using an array of media and styles.
Contemporary art, fine art, or the classics – the
Czech Republic is home to an abundance of art-
lovers, and this passion is reflected in the unique
and diverse culture of Prague.
09.06.2011
11.06.2011
London, England
09.06.2011
11.06.2011
The Designer: Richard
Stepping off the train at Liverpool station
was a whirlwind of excitement. We went to
immediately go meet the person we were staying
with; a friend of a friend named ‘Caz‘. I had no
idea the excitement that lay ahead of me. As we
obscurely met Caz Brown on the street, we met,
and followed him into one of the most trendy,
swanky areas of London for young ; this was East
London. He had a beautiful flat that overlooked
the city, and was right in the heart of a very artsy
area of London. Caz is a flourishing men’s clothing
B E C O M I N G A
L O N D O N L O C A L
designer, and was the guy to know around East
London. He took us to the hot spots around
town, directed us to the most ‘scene’ galleries
and meeting spots around town. Going out to
bars at night with him felt like I was traveling with
a celebrity. It was all very exciting. Through him, I
was introduced to a ton of artists and designers,.
. It was a very engaging experience that could be
beneficial in my future because many young and
talented designers I came in contact with.
The Designer: Richard
J U M P E R S ,
T R O U S E R S ,
& K N I C K E R S
East London was the ideal location to stay
as a young, curious designer. I stumbled
upon a summer student art show called Free
Range that is located in Old Truman Brewery, and
has been renovated into this temporary art show
for students. Free range provides new creative
graduates with the opportunity to showcase
their work on an international level. Categories
included in this show include fashion, textiles,
fine art, graphic design, photography, and interior
design. The annual design show is the largest
graduate show in Europe and contains over sixty
exhibitions. There was a lot of very influential
graphic design that I saw at the show. Just as the
people of London like to be unique and stand out
in their sense of fashion, they also like to express
this same feeling within the communication design
pieces that I saw at the exhibition.
STUDENT WORK, FREE RANGE ART, DESIGN & FASHION SHOW
STUDENT WORK, FREE RANGE ART, DESIGN & FASHION SHOW
NOT ALL THOSE
WHO WANDER
ARE LOST
01.03.2011
01.08.2011
Trier, Deutchland
01.03.2011
01.08.2011
S T R E E T P OS T E R S
A N D D E S I G N
TRIER: My home base for my five month
journey through Europe. With a population of
just over 105,000, it is a small place with a lot of
personality. Trier is the oldest city in Germany, yet
is not overtly touristy. The evidence of a unique
art and design culture is very evident in Trier. As
the oldest city in Germany, it has a lot of character
that makes it unique. The city is rather small, with
a population of just over 100,000. It contains two
universities, and has a large student population of
about 20,700. This abundance of students is quite
evident in the vast array of posters and graffiti
around the town. Poster design holds a place of
great importance in this town, unlike anything I
have ever witnessed in the United States. The
design culture in Trier is made up of the students,
and they do a fantastic job of utilizing their design
skills for functional purposes within the city. The
design students go to great lengths to show their
work, hosting exhibitions, short film festivals,
fashion shows, and parties in honor of the student
design community. The students here have a
major desire to use their design skills in every day
life and throughout the streets of Trier.
THE WORLD IS A BOOK AND
THOSE WHO DO NOT TRAVEL
ONLY READ ONE PAGE.
I N D E R
S C H U L E
Trier has been inspirational to my life as a
designer in many ways. It has served as the
catalyst for all of the European adventures that
have taken places, as well as the place of a formal
design education. This formal education, however,
has been very different from they manner in which
I had been taught at home. I was given much
more creative freedom in Trier, and it allowed me
to explore other design styles within my work. In
the classroom, I learned new techniques, while
simultaneously improving my knowledge of old
techniques. I was taught to look for aspects within
my own work that I had never been taught to do
before. Europe design is much different in the
United States, and it was helpful to be influenced
by this different style. European design is much
more clean, and almost always retreats back to
the idea of simplicity and a grid. As a designer,
this is something I have struggled with in the
past, but has become more clear to me. I learned
to find inspiration around every corner. Good
design is prevalent all throughout the different
cities I visited. I was inspired by my surroundings,
from my new found independence, and from the
other people around me. For this reason, it was a
wonderful opportunity for me to be able to study
design in Europe.
I N D E R
S C H U L E
IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS , I HAVE TRAVELED TO NINE COUNTRIES & SIXTEEN MAJOR CITIES . WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN.
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