Diamonds in the Rough - Dirty Jewels Berlin

Berlin is arguably Germany’s most influential city regarding graffiti and street art, and you can @ me on that. And Berlin is arguably the most diverse city in Germany, “multiculti,” as the locals would say. Nothing is more emblematic of Berlin’s multifacetedness than its walls.

The city streets are teeming with tags, throw-ups, bombs, and actions from the prolific number of writers and graffiti crews. No two tags are alike; not all throw-ups stay up, and not all actions are successful, but they are all unique forms of artistic expression. They mirror the hopes, dreams, and personalities of the people of Berlin.

Then there are the legal walls, walls that have been dedicated to seasoned artists and newly formed toys. They are sprayed on and rolled over daily, sometimes hourly, creating thousands of paint layers. Eventually, lady gravity does her work, and these layers slowly peel away from the wall, too heavy to cling to the cement any longer. These thick-as-a-bible sheets of lacquer fold until they lie in dramatically warped piles at the foot of the wall.

Another claim I will make is that Berlin is also one of Europe’s thriftiest cities. A combination of woke climate activists, broke students, and the naturally frugal Germans result in abundant second-hand stores, clothing swap parties, and community-built “take what you need” pop-up piles. If you subscribe to fast fashion, you are likely in the minority.

Berlin is also one of Europe’s thriftiest cities. A combination of woke climate activists, broke students, and the naturally frugal Germans result in abundant second-hand stores, clothing swap parties, and community-built “take what you need” pop-up piles. If you subscribe to fast fashion, you are likely in the minority.

It is only natural and frankly inevitable that pieces of the city, specifically pieces of those legal graffiti walls, have been upcycled and refined into stunning works of art. Wonder how a wall metamorphoses into a piece of jewelry? The creative forces behind Dirty Jewels Berlin are here to share their journey from fragment to fashion and tell us how graffiti started it all.

Dirty Jewels Berlin and the self-described “street art for your body” they create is the product of partners Ulrike Schröder, Ulli, and graffiti writer, or “Sprueher” in German, Meko. Given the street art roots, their garnering inspiration from the tagged-up walls is only natural. While not an artist by trade, Ulli pivoted from being an event manager to buffing chunks of lacquer into earrings, necklaces, and rings. The process is incredibly labor intensive and requires a trained eye to spot that perfect piece of purple paint peaking from behind a layer of black.

“It is up to chance whether colors or patterns show up or not. I’m looking for these wonderful colors on a piece of wall, and all I see are layers of gray paint and dirt. Then it’s on to the next one. It’s a big boost of dopamine when you finally come across that little treasure; I get super excited and happy when I see a pattern coming through.” Ulli’s elation radiates at the mere thought.

Ulli and her partner Meko experimented on slabs of paint they collected from walls across Berlin for over a year before nailing down the Dirty Jewels refinement process. Meko, is a member of a local graffiti crew and works with lacquer and paints at his day job, and therefore is familiar with the materials. Lending creativity and expertise to the venture, he legitimizes their work in the graffiti community.

“We could have only done it together. Meko’s the creative inspiration, and I handle production and sales. He does the more fine art pieces we are working on and will come up with some crazy things a couple of times a month,” Ulli gushes.

Their presence at the famous Berlin flea markets has grabbed the attention of the city’s citizens and fellow graffiti folks. The resounding reaction thus far has been positive, Ulli tells me. The product perfectly encapsulates a slice of culture for tourists and residents. It is gritty upcycling with a graffiti twist and a touch of style.

“Some people are astounded that we can make something so beautiful with basically trash out of their city. Other people are unaffected by it, but those are usually the people who don’t really understand and can’t appreciate street art.”

“Some people are astounded that we can make something so beautiful with basically trash out of their city. Other people are unaffected by it, but those are usually the people who don’t really understand and can’t appreciate street art.”

Meko and Ulli have taken what the walls are rejecting, the year’s worth of murals and lettering, artists’ hard work, and created their own art to share with people. That being said, the graffiti and street art community is notoriously persnickety when it comes to topics like covering or destroying someone else’s work. I asked Dirty Jewels Berlin what the response from the local graffiti artists has been.

“There is naturally some negativity from the graffiti scene as some people think we are taking materials from pieces that don’t belong to us. But at the end of the day, a piece of street art or graffiti is inherently impermanent. I see it as a conservation of art rather than the destruction of it. We bring it back to life and give it a new purpose, and I think it’s more romantic than anything. But there are always haters, and we can drink to that!” Ulli laughs as we raise our cups of orange juice.

I’ve visited Dirty Jewels Berlin multiple times at street fairs and flea markets around the city. Not only do they joyfully engage with potential customers, but they also highlight other local artists. The duo has multiple collaborations with fellow members of the art collective and union called “Aufjedeart,” meaning “In Every Way.”

Heiner Radau is one of the graffiti artists and designers they partner with. His drawn renditions of Berlin are printed on T-shirts and touted by Dirty Jewels at their table, next to their kaleidoscope of colorful pieces. In the works is another partnership with the Berlin-based company Gunoven Streetwear.

This spirit of collaboration and mutual respect between artists is another personality trait of the city. Brimming with creative talent and ambition, its citizens, be they sprayers, DJs, designers, or punk rockers, want to lift one another up. As the graffiti scene struggles with under-appreciation and delegitimization by mainstream society, Dirty Jewels Berlin shows us that even in a shroud of paint chips, there is beauty and endless potential.

Andi Schmitz is a writer, artist and recent American expat. Born in Dublin, Ireland and raised in a smörgåsbord of places, she has recently relocated to Berlin, Germany. Lifelong writer and artist, she is recovering from former corporate fintech life by self-induced art immersion. Her hobbies include painting, a good whiskey sour, and exploring art as a form of social outcry.

Insta: @thissignisasign