Berlin Kidz

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Berlin Kidz
Graffit Berlin Kidz Mullerstrasse Berlin-Wedding.jpg
The trademark graffiti of Berlin Kidz on a building in Wedding, Berlin
Style Graffiti; Tagging
Movement
Website BerlinKidzOffical on Facebook

Berlin Kidz is an artists collective from Kreuzberg, Berlin participating in graffiti, train surfing, and parkour. They are considered one of the most influential graffiti crews in Berlin known both for their trademark graffiti lettering and action videos. The group typically utilise the colours red and blue as symbols of blood and freedom respectively. [1] In an interview they have stated that the motivation for their artwork is to highlight social issues and bring them to the attention of the public, using political slogans such as Hartz IV essen Seele auf (transl.  Hartz IV Eats the Soul) or Moderne Sklaverei (transl. Modern Slavery). The collective deliberately targets difficult-to-access and tall buildings in order to be as visible and long lasting as possible. Early visuals were influenced by Pixação, though later work developed into a distinct visual language. Aside from graffiti they have filmed themselves on numerous occasions whilst train surfing on Berlin S-Bahn and U-Bahn rolling stock. [2]

Contents

A typical example of artwork by Berlin Kidz adorning a residential building by Kottbusser Tor, Kreuzberg Berlin-Kidz 1.jpg
A typical example of artwork by Berlin Kidz adorning a residential building by Kottbusser Tor, Kreuzberg
One Wall Project with Berlin Kidz, 1UP and James Bullough Urban Nation, Schoneberg Street art Bulowstrasse 30 Berlin Kidz 1Up James Bullough Berlin-Schoneberg.jpg
One Wall Project with Berlin Kidz, 1UP and James Bullough Urban Nation, Schöneberg

Exhibitions

In 2017, Paradox/Berlin Kidz collaborated with the Urban Nation museum as part of their One Wall project along with James Bullough and 1UP. [1] The following year the group partiticapated in the Bügelfeuer exhibition of railway culture hosted at Güterbahnhofs Bremen, a disused freight yard located directly next to Bremen Hauptbahnhof, alongside other artists including Bill Daniel and MOSES & TAPS™. [3]

Founding and members

The collective Berlin Kidz was founded in the late 2000s by Berlin-based artist and filmmaker Mr. Paradox Paradise (also known as Paradox), who had earlier created the crew ÜF (Über Freaks). [4] Paradox initiated the video project Berlin Kidz, merging graffiti, parkour, and climbing into a single visual language on media and expanded classic graffiti into performative art actions in urban spaces. [5] He collaborated at the beginning of 1UP and their big letters ÜF1UP shaped the cityscape of the late 2010s in Berlin. He is credited with developing the vertical lettering style, later termed Paraglyphs, in Europe and continues to work on the upcoming film Berlin Kidz 3 – Escape Berlin. [6]

Media

After following the group during numerous actions over a four year period [7] the German photographer Thomas von Wittich exhibited his documentary images of the Berlin Kidz at an exhibition titled Adrenaline as part of the European Month of Photography in 2016. [8] In 2017, the documentary Grifters Code 6: Über Freaks, focusing on the illegal activities of the Berlin Kidz collective was released. [9]

Change Your Frequency mural on a building in Kreuzberg Wandmalerei Kopenicker Str 183 (Kreuz) Change Your Frequency&Berlin Kidz Crew&2018.jpg
Change Your Frequency mural on a building in Kreuzberg

To date Paradox has produced two Berlin Kidz graffiti movies including the 2014 film Berlin Kidz – 100% Pure Adrenaline [10] and an hour long documentary Fuck the System. [11] In 2021, Paradox released the documentary film Spiritual Letters, which premiered at the Babylon Berlin cinema. [12] The film was reviewed in several cultural media outlets, including Lodown Magazine and Urban Shit, and features scenes from Berlin's urban art scene. [13] Spiritual Letters also received international attention, for example through a screening in 2024 at the CULTPLEX cinema in Manchester. [14] He also released short recordings of artistic practice such as the 2018 promotional video Change your Frequency. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Biography / Berlin Kidz". urban-nation.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Piotrowski, Raphael (January 2018). "Uns treibt die Liebe zu den Buchstaben an". taz.de (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "BÜGELFEUER". spedition-bremen.com (in German). Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Der Mann, der Berlin illegal verschönert: der Sprayer Paradox". Berliner Zeitung . 29 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Mr. Paradox Paradise". Urban Nation Museum Berlin. 2020.
  6. ↑ "Mr. Paradox Paradise". Street Art Cities. 2020.
  7. ↑ Durget, Mathieu (June 2018). "Berlin Kidz Through the Lens of Thomas von Wittich or How to F*** the System". berlinstreetart.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Thomas von Wittich · Adrenaline". openwallsgallery.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Durget, Mathieu (February 2017). "Grifters Code 6 Tells the Story of the Berlin Kidz". berlinstreetart.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "When Berlin Kidz take the U-Bahn". cct-seecity.com. May 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Berlin Kidz: Fuck the System". toombes.com. August 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Babylon Berlin film page: Spiritual Letters (2021)
  13. ↑ "MR. PARADOX PARADISE spiritual letters". lodownmagazine.com. September 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Spiritual Letters. the Art of Mr. Paradox Paradise". visitmanchester.com. September 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Paradox: New Video "Change Your Frequency"". urbanspree.com. November 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
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