Claudia Borgna PLASTIC BAGS- Broomhill Sculpture Prize

So yesterday I made it to the free classical music concert. It was not just one concert, but the whole Berliner Philarmonie building (very interesting architecture, by the way) was filled with the notes of all kinds of instruments in a series of concerts spread throughout the modern construction and mainly performed by young and not so young, promising and non, students. It was buzzing! Each time my sense of wonder and surprise is renewed to see how many cultural events, especially Berlin, but the whole of Germany too, offer to a wide and very mixed audience of people of all ages, and social backgrounds. All of them seem to have been exposed and posses a tuned sensibility and rooted love towards the arts.

When in Berlin, every time it is a real mission to try to be updated and at the same time enjoy the variety of the ongoing cultural programmes. You kind of get confused about what the priorities of an artist should be anymore:

- is it to make and construct art?

- Or enjoy hours of lingering at the Schrott Markt and the Baumaerkte looking through the huge selection of cheap sculpting materials?

- Or better apply for new opportunities and deadlines submissions?

- Or keep your blog updated?

- Or update your website?

- Or spent time with your loved ones, family, partner, friends?

- Or read their blogs and keep updated with their life, and the rest of the world?

- Or read, all the books and newspapers and art magazines?

- Go to the the main Galleries and Museums maybe?

- Or visit the hidden galleries in the delapitated and graffiti up old Warehouses and Breweries heroically resisting on the East-side?

- What about all the music events then?

- Or the amazing nightclub scene, and Techno heavens?

- What about all the international art movies shown at all the Film festivals?

- Or go to all the Classical music and opera establishments?

- But maybe you would just want to hang out in the parks under a blooming scenting tree by the lake and watch the ducks drifting in the river, just get inspired by metropolitan nature?

- Or just loose yourself in space and time, wandering, is it east or west side? daring the border lines, trying to make sense of it all?

- But then you again don't want to miss out on an intellectual conversation in a Cafe' making your life sweeter with a mouthwatering slice of Kuchen mit Sahne (cake with side wipped cream)?

- Or, get even more passionate about art and life, cosy, behind a long thin glass of foaming Berliner Pils that makes your heart glimmer in the yellow candle lights, in any Kiez berliner workers Kneipe(pub) ?

- And what about the late turkish suppers?

- Maybe followed in the morning by a Royal Fruhstuck (breakfast) moist by bubbly Sekt, if you have money. If you don't you can eat All You Can Eat ( 2,95 euro) and reflect on the pervious day events that will eventually mingle with the rest of your memories and will illegally intrude into your art, camouflaged in the colours drawn from the local weekly market.

- But maybe ultimately you would just want to spend some extra time in bed and make love!

Well today, I had no choice but to submit work for a few applications deadlines, work on updating my website and write my blog, reply to emails and start preparing for the next stage of my sculpture making ordering more materials online.

This evening though I am off to the opening at the Instituto Cervantes for a new art show called: 'LA Invisible City'. I am interested in maybe capturing other artists opinion on the parallels between the 2 cities: Berlin and Los Angeles.