NBB Magazine

  When looking back at all the artworks that at some point made their way to the NBB Gallery, one thing becomes apparent: Cats are a topic of many exhibited paintings and drawings. As one of the most beloved pets, cats have naturally always been subjects of artworks and play their own part of the history of art. Cats were worshiped by the ancient Egyptians but feared for their mysterious nocturnal lifestyle in the Middle-Ages. During the 19th Century sort of a cat renaissance happened thanks to impressionism and today there is an abundance of pet photos and even celebrity...

A tomato, a Mercedes-Benz car, a uterus, a fish or a bottle of Coca-Cola. The Ghanaian artist Paa Joe and his workshop create coffins of almost all shapes possible. Catering for the local as well as international clients, Joe’s coffins are even parts of private and museum art collections. Originally called “abebu adekai” – meaning “receptacles of proverbs” – these coffins are known to the public with the attributes such as figurative, fantasy, custom or fantastic. The highly personalized coffins accompany the deceased on their journey to the other side while referring to their occupation, social status or sometimes their...

Yam Shalev is an emerging Israeli artist in his mid-twenties who one day decided to move from Tel Aviv to Berlin to pursue art. NBB Gallery visited him in his cozy studio in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen to talk about his artistic growth and life. Read further to find out why he does not own a laptop and how he preserves memories through art. Yam welcomed us with what is typical for his newest paintings: Drinks, fresh fruits and croissants put neatly on a coffee table. Painting still-lives with motifs from brunches and picnics has been Yam’s preferred subject these days. If you...

"You have to talk a lot to learn to be quiet, that's why I paint a lot." Layers of paint, routines and questions surrounding the artist himself and his practice - French artist Julien Saudubray spoke with us about these and more questions regarding his work. In an interview accompanying his first exhibition at NBB titled "Bleu de Roy" opening on July 21, Julien invited us to get an insight into his studio and his artistic approach. Inspired by the properties of paint itself, Julien deconstructs almost every aspect of painting - the process, the shape, the colors.   Can...

In June 2022, the NBB Gallery decided to redefine the room behind the general exhibition space at the Karl-Marx-Allee 85. When visiting NBB, the gallery assistant would advise you to also visit the room „in the back“ and would tell you there is more art to see. After you enter the door you find yourself inside a dark hall that connects the kitchen, the entry to a cellar staircase and a fridge for drinks for the guests at openings. Just when your eyes get used to the dark you see a bright light coming from the end of a narrow...