These days BRAUSE, a flagship of Düsseldorf’s subculture, has turned 18 years of age and faded away simultaneously. With a final smile and a last party, it was celebrated once more, to say good bye in dignity and with a smile on the faces.

In August 2001 the former cashpoint of a small vintage petrol station has mutated to BRAUSE, a social club with concerts, readings, exhibitions, movie screenings and much more. The old fashioned glass front was paved with stickers made by artists all over the German and international street art scene and the gates and walls of the neighbouring aereas were covered all over with stickers and paste-ups. Then gentrification beat mercilessly and one of the cultural hot spots of the free scene was due to die, probably for one more hip hotel or a new luxury, unaffordable residental estate. The supporting community expressed their grief by dressing the original brilliant white coating of the facade in black. Then the face was given a new makeup with graffiti, stencils, stickers, paste ups and installations with the basic statement: A CITY WITHOUT A SMILE IS A LOST CITY – GENTRI FUCK YOURSELF!

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