Yuma Shih-Yuan Hsu

Punk in der GDR. 2018

A month-long trip to Berlin years ago stimulated my artistic practices through the exploration of artmaking works. When I was in my nyc apartment, I accidentally came across the works of graffiti artists “Berlin Kidz” in a magazine. Their bold and rebellious style had left me with an impression so strong that I gathered half of my savings and purchased a flight to Berlin right away to experience their works myself.

The city’s subcultural influences have since awaken my cultural consciousness. I have encountered different mediums of art making by breathing in the revolutionary history of the fall of the Berlin Wall and German unification.

The Punk stories between 1979 to 1989 in east Berlin has especially ignited my desire to explore their cultural history further. Reflections from the past take shape in today’s diversity in the city that is still fighting for its self-determination. I have been impressed with the spirit that has persisted, one that evolved it’s body of manifestation from art, music, fashion, to a lifestyle. I have since begun a number of projects inspired by this trip and continually researched more background stories of the city.

The 12 Sketches of collection are divided to three parts of continuous ideas.
They are puppet, stasi files, and shadows.

CONCEPT PHOTOS