I had the pleasure of designing a mural for the Dr. Martens store in Berlin, Mitte, featuring the iconic 1460 boot and many subcultural influences in Berlin's punk and rock past and present. Since music is a big part of Dr. Martens brand identity, I dug deep into Berlin's musical past.
Research
Berlin is often connected to its large house and techno scene beyond the raver culture from the 90s. However since the 70s it's also been a punk and rock capital with international influences like Iggy Pop, David Bowie or Nick Cave. German rock giants like Die Ärzte, Malaria, Nena or Einstürzende Neubauten found their inspiration, until now there has been a subculture and alternative scene in Berlin centered around legendary clubs like the Schokoladen or 8mm bar in Mitte, or SO36 and Wild at Heart in Kreuzberg, but there‘s many more!
Idea
A night in a legendary club in Berlin – that‘s the aesthetic I‘m going for. Club toilets full of stickers, illegally plastered walls of Berlin together with the iconic look of the U-Bahn and a running gag: Berlin as a constant construction site.
Foto by Anna Vis
Me playing at Schokoladen in Berlin, Mitte, in front of the iconic rose wallpaper
Left SO36 in Kreuzberg and right former club Dschungel
First round of sketches: two directions
Final result
Pulling the focus on to the iconic 1460 boot surrounded by the things that make Berlin Berlin, the mural is placed around the cash register, visible from the outside.
