In April heaven is close to hell. Especially last Saturday, street art community of Northrhine Westfalia seemed to have flocked together and have conspired to a complot to drive me to distraction. Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and who knows where else – the last weekend was a blast of events around the topic street art. I hate to think of all those attractions I have missed and wish, I just could clone myself. However, I had to make a decision what to do on Saturday and started in Essen with Zentralkommitee Straßenkunst and ended in Dortmund with Speicher Pop Up Show. Both cities are well connected by public transport and so I could try and kill two birds with one stone and participate both events at the same day.

After Speichergallery 1.0 last year, my expectations were high, but also my doubts, how an increase of quality and experience could be possible. My doubts were history immediately when I came through the front door and stumbled across an installation of ROBOLITO, street artist from Brazil. I should meet his sculptures, installations and paintings more often in the course of the evening. BÄM – I hadn’t made a meter and was flashed at once! A few steps around the corner I couldn’t hold a loud shout, coming out of my throat: this is awesome! I had found a piece of CANTWO and BAKERONER and was excited – not for the last time! This was an event for that well-known „goose bumps“ feeling – during the whole night. The line up was spectacular and I swung like a pendulum from one extreme to the other, with TASSO MACLAIM, LAPIZ, RANDOM EXP and and and. The list is long and very impressive. The ground floor previously was reservated for graffiti and party as well. Unfortunately the room of party was darkened, which is unceasingly for the right partying mood, but the pest for taking photographs! This department was completely designed by BIRD & KIBE. Do I have to tell even more? Oh yes – the next floor! 1200 square meters of street art hunters paradise – and above all, a contemporary interpretation of the classic Rapunzel fairy tale. Prince charming, entering the tower of the dame, who let her hair down to haul him up, turns out to be a graffiti writer with a spray can in his hand. On his way up, he paints the tower with his tag: MR.TRAINWWASH. Guess who this artist with this offbeat humor is. I have got my own hunch!

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Speicher Pop-Up Show; CANTWO x BAKERONER

Speicher Pop-Up Show; LAPIZ RANDOM EXP

Speicher Pop-Up Show; DEMON x THE TOP NOTCH