Conversations about mending personal + cultural wounds through creativity
This colorful building is my most favorite in Berlin! Located on Kreutzigerstrasse in Friedrichshain, the former squat is now a community project that brings edgy joy to its passerbys :). There wasn’t much light that day, unfortunately, but the shadowy tones accurately reflect the mood.
Punk is surely alive and well in Berlin! One of the city’s most seductive qualities is its endless display of street art.
One benefit of Airbnb is that it can connect you to fascinating people you would have otherwise probably not have met.
During my time in Berlin, Germany, I had the privilege of staying at Il Faro Blu in Kreuzberg. My host was a lovely Italian woman, Lisa Santarelli, Fine Art Photographer and artist. We had long, intimate conversations about creativity and health, and we shared our mutual love for David Lynch. During the evenings, she sat quietly, painting beautiful watercolors.
Here are a few images of her marvelous space taken on my phone:
I couldn’t get over how much heart was etched into every inch of her home; it was like a mini-museum! There were leafy plants, Italian words written in crayon on the walls, analog photographs everywhere, art books, old furniture, and antique ornaments. I lost myself in the flood of details that reflect Lisa’s artistry and spirit.
Below are some of her stunning photographs. She instantly became one of my favorite photographers, and I purchased one of her photo books along with a print.
She also published a gorgeous photo book set that makes me swoon!
Needless to say, I can’t wait to go back!
Oh! Hello, shoe-mobile!
On my second day in Berlin, I walked across the bridge connecting Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain to catch the tram into Prenzlauer Berg. My lovely Airbnb host informed me about a fleamarket in Mauerpark that takes place each Sunday, so I had to take advantage of it. There were heaps of vintage clothing, crafts, handmade goods, art, antiques, decor, and of course, a visually intriguing cast of characters.
Made friends with the folks of Lanz-Records-Berlin! We had a dance party to Stereo Total.
Works by La Tercera Mano. Yes, I brought one of those plaster baby doll heads home.
I arrived in Berlin by train after a busy week of exploring Prague. I’ve long heard about the city’s reputation as a cultural hub, an alternative mecca of artsy dreams. “Is this Kreuzberg?” I exclaimed at my taxi driver as we passed through a graffitied, gritty area. Indeed, it was. Phew!
Kreuzberg is the European version of Brooklyn. Actually, the neighborhood reminded me of the East Village in its hay-day: punks with piercings, vegetarian restaurants, street art, little booths with junky merchandise, and bohemians rebelling against their parents at each turn. Truth be told, it made my heart swell up like a punched lip: I ached for the subculture anarchy of yesteryear. New York City has become so commercialized, its primitive spirit seems drowned out by an overarching instagram filter. Berlin is alive with genuine weirdos that make me feel at home.
Little photo booths all around. Reminded me of Amélie.
Obsessed with this building.
I’ll admit I got this gelato simply for the color blue.
Stumbled upon an art show at Galeria Heba. Love this guy’s hair!
Hello! My name is Jessie Askinazi, and I am so happy to connect with you. Here’s a photo of me haunting around swampland while listening to “Laura Palmer’s Theme” from the Twin Peaks soundtrack:
This marks my first post! You can read more about me + The Crimson Coyote media project in my about page if you’re curious.
I wanted to post today because it is World Mental Health Day. Most people I know and love have suffered from some kind of mental health or personality disorder at some point in their lives. I myself have had to (and still) navigate depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
There have been plenty of days where I simply didn’t think that I could make it through. I have not always been able to access the help that I needed, and the healthcare system in the US is appalling for those who struggle with mental health conditions; all the cards are stacked against us.
Slowly, learning to manage symptoms and making great efforts to embrace life’s small pleasures has become enough. There is so much left to see and do- so many places to travel, so many records I haven’t yet found- so many friends to laugh with- so many poems to devour; I plan to share that here. I will also share more about my health journey in the first episode (CC00) of The Crimson Coyote podcast, so please stay tuned!
Some self-care methods that I’ve found most effective are: literally grounding myself by lying in grass, water (a hot shower or bath- and when I was living in LA, Koreatown’s amazing K-spas), cuddling animals, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, meditation, and engaging in a creative practice (simply for the act of expression).
The above photograph is one of my favorites I’ve taken. I took this picture in a “haunted” ride in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. I shot it on a LOMO LC-A+ and cross-processed the film. I didn’t even know if it would come out when I took it, but the apparition turned out so beautifully. It accurately represents the ghosts that leech onto us during spells of melancholia- the phantoms that writhe around in our chests.
It’s always been difficult for me to articulate what walking through life under the low-hanging cloud of depression is like. The following excerpt seems to articulate it best:
“Who has never killed an hour? Not casually or without thought, but carefully: a premeditated murder of minutes. The violence comes from a combination of giving up, not caring, and a resignation that getting past it is all you can hope to accomplish. So you kill the hour. You do not work, you do not read, you do not daydream. If you sleep it is not because you need to sleep. And when at last it is over, there is no evidence: no weapon, no blood, and no body. The only clue might be the shadows beneath your eyes or a terribly thin line near the corner of your mouth indicating something has been suffered, that in the privacy of your life you have lost something and the loss is too empty to share.”
-Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
I want to tell you that you are meaningful. Your life is meaningful. I’ll be here to remind you when you forget.
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