Barbara Bilic

Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art by Nova Yu and Barbara Bilić

Nova Yu

Conveniently, after a 10 minute walk from our apartment, we arrived at the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art. After spending the morning learning about the historical background of graffiti and street art and their present day impact in the city of Berlin, my classmates and I explored the museum, which was packed with street art, sculpture, and photography. While seeing the museum pieces, it felt necessary to have learned about the foundations of street art earlier that day. Street art and graffiti, unlike the stereotypical correlation to vandalism and crime, have always had their roots in individuality, creativity, and expression. Street art has become a method for artists to communicate specifically through tags and words in a contemporary and public form. Pieces in the museum covered a range of current social and political conversations through each artist’s style and medium. These paintings, collages, and photographs consisted of acrylic and spray paint, and some were even created completely digitally. In learning about something we all see on buildings, trains, and streets here in Berlin, I have gained more perspective on how the accessibility of graffiti has shaped who is participating in street art. For marginalized folx, graffiti can act as a way to stabilize their environments regardless of their position in life and to allow them to begin a journey towards understanding identity. The museum brought this concept to life as we observed pieces commentating on war, race, climate change, media consumption, and much more. The combination of an interesting story and vibrant colors creates a journey for the viewer to feel certain emotions and see a glimpse into a different life. Street art’s versatility has allowed BIPoC and other marginalized people an opportunity to make a literal mark and say, as our tour guide Rob noted, “I am here.”

Nova Yu is a Chinese American student from Grand Junction, Colorado. She is currently going into her final year of college majoring in Economics. Nova is the daughter of two Chinese immigrants and the middle child of three. She was born in West Virginia, and at a young age, she moved to a rural town in Colorado where she has lived most of her life. This is Nova’s first time in Europe, and she believes she has picked the best first stop: Berlin!

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Barbara Bilić

As the #FemGeniusesinBerlin moved towards the second section of the course, we traveled into the world of street art and graffiti. After our morning graffiti and street art tour, we visited the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art, which is filled with thought-provoking art and installations by artists from different parts of the world.  The museum has been a part of the non-profit initiative of Foundation Berlin Leben since 2013, with its main goal of promoting integration, strengthening of neighborhood structures, social balance, and collaboration among artists through cultural education. It currently features works of over 50 artists working in different mediums of graffiti and other forms of urban and contemporary art, presenting individual as well as societal perspectives. The questions that promote the goal of Urban Nation are explored through the exhibition’s eight chapters: WE NEED TO TALK, FORTY-TWO, SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES, THE FORUM, DEEP FAKE, I AM AN X, BUT…, HYBRID HISTORIES and FAIL AGAIN, FAIL BETTER. These chapters bring up questions of how we communicate, how we deal with allegedly truthful information, and its interaction with digital technology. Through observing pieces by artists from different parts of the world and with various German identities, including Black German artists, African artists, artists from the U.S., Ukraine, Iran, and Poland, accompanied by Berlin street and graffiti artists, we can configure a visual transnational conversation regarding social commentary, marginalized communities, and immigrant identities. M. Jacqui Alexander and Chandra Talpade Mohanty’s “Transnational Feminism as Radical Praxis” helped me understand the dialogue between the art pieces as encouraging understanding rather than comparison and avoiding a reductionist approach to intertwined international topics. Some of the pieces that stood out were those by Josephine Sagna (German-Senegalese), Amartey Golding (Scottish and Ghanaian), Ravi Amar Zupa (Colorado based), and ICY & SOT (an Iranian duo in Brooklyn, New York), among others.

Barbara Bilić is a rising senior at Colorado College. She comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a small but beautiful country in Southeastern Europe also known as the Balkans. She is double majoring in Integrative Design and Architecture and German Studies. She grew up in Prozor-Rama and received a scholarship in 2018 to attend United World College (UWC) in Mostar. In Mostar, she completed the International Baccalaureate Program, which led her to obtain a Davis UWC scholarship to Colorado College. Some of her hobbies and interests include design, poetry, music, and fashion.  

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A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin by Barbara Bilić and Gabby Rogan

Barbara Bilić and Friend

On the concluding day of our first week in Berlin, we attended a class discussion at the Friedrichshein-Kreuzberg (FHXB) Museum near Kotti (Kottbusser Tor), one of the places in Berlin where I have spent the most time. On the way to class, I was looking at the beautiful, early summer landscape, thinking about Kotti and how many memories it holds for me. During my previous study abroad program, I spent endless hours in Café Kotti, a local writers’ cafe, decorated with my friend Wafa’s art (@waemaharte), beautiful vintage chairs, and bitter Turkish coffee. That led me to think of Gastarbeiters (Guest workers) in Berlin and about their “hidden” position in German society.  The discussion during this session centered mostly on dissecting frameworks of analysis that we are applying to the class in the context of the readings on “hidden” narratives, spaces, and identities. Our focus laid on reflecting on the Jewish History Walking Tour we attended the day before. Although reading the class material was incredibly informative to me, when other students brought up their observations and questions, I gained so much more clarity and insight into topics I am not familiar with given my usual academic setting. The discussion during this class infused me with so much gratitude to be surrounded by such inquisitive individuals who are truly passionate about the course material. I also felt gratitude for having received an opportunity to discover these topics in Berlin and for insight into topics related to intersectionality in Germany that I haven’t yet focused on as part of my courses in German Studies. Although I know quite a bit about this city, every day with the @FemGeniuses brings me a new perspective of it, especially when it comes to learning about different frameworks to apply to analyze experiences of marginalized communities in Germany and Berlin.

Barbara Bilić is a rising senior at Colorado College. She comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a small but beautiful country in Southeastern Europe also known as the Balkans. She is double majoring in Integrative Design and Architecture and German Studies. She grew up in Prozor-Rama and received a scholarship in 2018 to attend United World College (UWC) in Mostar. In Mostar, she completed the International Baccalaureate Program, which led her to obtain a Davis UWC scholarship to Colorado College. Some of her hobbies and interests include design, poetry, music, and fashion.  

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Gabby Rogan

Hi all, this is my action-packed Friday in Berlin! Before going to class, Barbara, Ella, Kaléa, and I walked to the café|deli next door to our apartment for breakfast and coffee—I highly recommend their sandwiches. We then took the U to our classroom; today, our class was held on the top floor of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum (the museum of a historical district in Berlin), which was a nice change of scenery! The graffiti and architecture in this area was very colorful, really bringing the neighborhood to life. During class, we discussed our readings and experiences with Thursday’s Jewish History walking tour and the German Resistance Memorial, focusing on how that all connects with Black Feminist, Transnational Feminist, and Critical Race Theory frameworks. One of the main things we talked about is the purpose of memorials, their intended audience, and who they exist for. Although memorials serve as a ritual space for commemorating victims, learning the history behind who built the memorial and when it was built may also suggest that an additional purpose is to absolve guilt. After these important conversations, I got lunch at a restaurant across the street and ordered a curry bowl (unfortunately not pictured). After lunch, it was time to prepare for the SZA concert! Our apartment made food, snacks, and got to hang out for a while beforehand, which was so much fun. Jordan, Kaléa, Emma, Atquetzali, Ella, and I all took the train together, and went our separate ways when we got to the venue (we had different seats). SZA was nothing short of transcendental: her vocals, choreography, and visuals were unbelievable—it was over before I knew it. After this, the group reconvened to go back to the apartment. What an amazing day!

Gabby Rogan is from Evanston, Illinois, and is currently majoring in History and Political Science with a minor in Education at Colorado College. In her free time, Gabby works for after-school programs at Colorado Springs elementary schools, sings with her femme plus a cappella group, and is a board member of the R.O.S.E. Foundation—a nonprofit that aims to uplift school staff in the United States. Eventually, Gabby wants to work in education policy to help create more equitable experiences for students across the globe.

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Some Final Thoughts on the 2023 #FemGeniusesinBerlin by Dr. Heidi R. Lewis

“Gotta hit them muthafuckin’ angles! It’s a short life!”
—Drake, “Nice for What” (2018)

Judy at the DARK MATTER Museum with Me and Chase

I want to be honest. Every summer since around 2018, about halfway through this course (which I’ve taught annually since 2014 and except in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19), I contemplate not teaching it again. Most of the time, that has little to nothing to do with the students, who are usually great overall. The real issue is I’m getting older and changing in ways I never thought I would. Sometimes I think seriously about leaving the liberal arts or even about leaving the academy altogether. I don’t love teaching the same way I used to five years ago let alone twenty years ago when I taught my first college course while pursuing my Master’s degree. A large part of that is probably also due to my kids getting older. I now have an 18-year-old son headed to college this fall and a 17-year-old daughter headed into her senior year of high school. So, I’m interested in reinventing myself and spending more time with my elders and folks my own age. Plus, teaching in Berlin is exhausting. I still do everything the students do, including the walking tours and museum visits. Then, when my kids come along (as they did in 2016, 2017, and 2022, and my daughter also came this year), I’m energized by doing additional things with them like going swimming, shopping at flea markets, going to the zoo, and visiting extra museums. But that’s also exhausting.

But then, something(s) always happens to give me a spark, a second wind, if you will—another reminder of why I love teaching this course and why I’ll come back again.

Photo Credit: Katharin Luckey, 2023 #FemGeniusesinBerlin

This year, I remembered to visit a space where I once wondered if I could hold class for discussion days. The Regenbogenfabrik (or Rainbow Factory), just across the street from the flat where I’ve lived almost every year since 2018, is a self-governing, emancipatory, grassroots collective that began in 1981 (the year I was born) as part of the tenant’s rights movement in Kreuzberg. But to be honest again, my remembering the space wasn’t intentional. In fact, I hadn’t thought about it once this year—despite passing it multiple times daily—until I was preparing for our class swap and convergence class with Dr. Zachary Woods of Seattle University. I reserved rooms for us at two spaces that have been friends of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin for years, xart splitta and the FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum. One “fell through” for that morning, so I wrote the Regenbogenfabrik staff last minute asking if we could use their kino (theater). They said “yes,” and it was truly amazing. It reminds me so much of the now-defunct Brauni space that I was introduced to by Jewish Antifa in 2017 and where I held discussion days in 2018. I’m really looking forward to having class there and not only because I’d only have to leave my flat 15 minutes before class starts. So, that was one thing, and I’m starting with that, because sometimes it really is the “little” things that make a huge difference.

On that note, the majority of folks in Berlin were surprisingly kind this year. Never have so many strangers smiled at and offered to help me. It was unreal. My friend Sharon and I even met a guy from Detroit as we were leaving a coffee date. Shoutout to the Midwest. I wonder if some of the unusual kindness I’ve experienced is related to folks being happy to be back outside “after” COVID-19, but to be more honest, I don’t really care. As I told my student Kaléa during a walking tour, the older I get, the more I appreciate random acts of kindness. I need it. I receive it.

Ria and Me

Of course my friends, colleagues, and comrades here are always a reminder. I even met some new folks I’m excited to connect with again next year. To the former, I visited Ika Hügel-Marshall’s grave for the first time with Ria, Jasmin, Dagmar, and their friends Sabine and Katharin, who I met back in 2015. Every year, we go to the cemetery to see and tend to May’s grave, as well as Mike Reichel’s and Fidelis Grotke’s. This was the first time Ika wasn’t with us in the physical. I miss her. Most of all, I’m so thankful to have known and loved her and to have been loved by her. My daughter Chase and I were also so happy to spend time with Deborah, Katja, Ecki, Peggy, and Maisha in their garden. As usual, the food and drinks were delicious and the company was even better. I was thankful to hear Sharon and my other friend Josy read from their new books and seeing Tiffany at the former. I was thankful to have dinner with Rebecca, especially since she’s now a tenured professor in the U.S. and may not always be visiting Berlin when I’m in town. I want to spend every moment possible with my folks—sharing stories, smoking, eating, drinking, and laughing, especially my elders. Every hug, every kiss on the cheek, every toast is a reminder.

I do miss my best friend Dana, who came to Berlin with me as the Second Responsible Adult (SRA) five times between 2016 and 2019. It’s still hard for me to think about being in the city let alone actually being in it without her. To fill the void, my daughter, Judy, and I went to what felt like 100 flea markets and museums. I walked when it was possible to take public transportation way more than I was willing when Dana was with me. I also took pictures of the weirdest things like a donut on the bus and a bumblebee on a flower. She was definitely here in spirit.

Still, it was great having Judy back. Judy, a Feminist & Gender Studies at Colorado College alum (2020) and member of the Fall 2017 #FemGeniusesinBerlin, acted as the SRA last year and this one. The students and I always love hearing about her research on Indianthusiasm (or hobbyism) in Germany. Moreover, I remain honored that this course was one small catalyst for her work.

Italia and Marisa during the Street Art & Graffiti Walking Tour

Last, but never least, my spark was lit by this incredible group of students—these 19 students (highest enrollment for the course ever!) who were thoughtful, curious, funny, and super duper fly. It’s been a long time since I taught a course in which the Black students, Brown students, and other students of color were the majority and also gave so many damns about how they look. I firmly believe in the “look good, feel good” mantra, and these “kids” stayed camera-ready, and I loved to see it—hence, the Drake quote opening this essay. Oh, and for the record, can’t nobody serve poked lips in a picture like Marisa, honey. It was absolutely beautiful. I was so inspired. If I continue with my honesty theme, though, these were some of the slowest walkin’ students in the history of this course, probably in the history of all of mankind. Emma referred to them as “saunterers,” and I absolutely concur. But that was part of their swag, and it was only really annoying during walking tours—for me, that is. Haha. And their bond seemed so genuine. That’s not a prerequisite or a learning outcome for the course. However, it’s always a beautiful thing when I get to witness and support students developing substantial relationships. To be fair, several knew (or at least knew of) each other beforehand, but even those students seemed to grow closer during their time here.

The Street Art & Graffiti Walking Tour

And they’re so smart. I felt compelled to ask several if they’d thought about graduate school, because I see future professors in this group who’ll write critical scholarship that interrogates oppression and resistance with an especially necessary focus on intra-communal relationships. I see artists who’ll create critical spaces that center subjugated and oppressed people. I see K-12 teachers who’ll do the same. Whatever they become, I know the world is and will continue to be brighter with them in it. I feel sadness thinking about those slated to graduate next year, since I may not have them in class again. Still, and most importantly, I feel hope thinking about their futures. I also feel gratitude for being a small part of their journeys.

Chase and Judy before the SZA Concert

In closing, and as of this writing (June 21—save a few edits), I miss my husband and son more than words can say. I miss my house. I miss my bed. I miss our pets. I miss my friends. I miss my home office. I miss writing. I miss Black America. I miss Hip Hop. I’m ready to go home. But I will be back. And I’m already looking forward to it.

P.S. Other highlights include my daughter Chase’s budding friendship with Atquetzali; the SZA concert; my very novice attempt at storytelling during the German colonialism walking tour; my even more novice attempt at theorizing the bra we saw hanging on a wall during the graffiti and street art walking tour (#FreetheNipple); the convergence class with Zach; the new photojournal assignment; the students’ extra credit postcards; our first cracks at the Precarious Berlin walking tour I learned about from Adam, our Jewish history tour guide, and the Museum des Kapitalismus; and #FleaMarketFrenzy and #MuseumMayhem with Chase and Judy.

Click here to view a slideshow of pictures of the 2023 #FemGeniusesinBerlin, and follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (@FemGeniuses and|or @AudresFootsteps on all platforms) to see more. To view final project indices and slideshows for previous #FemGeniusesinBerlin, click here. 

PhotoJournal Index:

“German Colonialism Walking Tour with Josephine Apraku” by Katharin Luckey and Ella Simons
“The Neues Museum” by Kaléa Daniels and Glorie Michelle Romero Elvir Enamorado
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Noor Issa and Nova Yu
“Jewish History Walking Tour with Adam Schonfeld” by Brailey Harris and Emma Fowkes
“The German Resistance Memorial” by Marisa Diaz Bonacquisti and Talulah Geheim
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Barbara Bilić and Gabby Rogan
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Atquetzali Quiroz and Ella Simons
“Die Mauer asisi Panorama” by Jordan Fields and Gabby Rogan
“Under the Berlin Wall with Berliner Unterwelten” by Elie Deshommes and Elliot Triplett
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Italia Alexandria Bella’-Victoria Rodriguez Quintana and Kate Nixon
“Graffiti and Street Art Walking Tour with Alternative Berlin” by Noor Issa and Cecelia Russell
“Urban Nation Art Museum” by Nova Yu and Barbara Bilić
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Glorie Michelle Romero Elvir Enamorado and Marisa Diaz Bonacquisti
“A Day in the Life of the #FemGeniusesinBerlin” by Brailey Harris and Elie Deshommes
“The Schwules* Museum” by Jordan Fields and Emma Fowkes
“Queer Berlin Walking Tour with Mal Pool” by Elliot Triplett and Cecelia Russell
“On the History of Poverty and Solidarity: The Precarious Berlin Walking Tour with Stefan Zollhauser” by Kaléa Daniels and Italia Alexandria Bella’-Victoria Rodriguez Quintana
“Museum des Kapitalismus” by Kate Nixon and Talulah Geheim
“Graffiti Workshop with Berlin Massive” by Atquetzali Quiroz and Katharin Luckey