For three years at the beginning of the millennium, Berlin bar and restaurant White Trash Fast Food/ TORSTRASSE 200 now there a based the janine bean gallery / owned by LA chef and “cowboy” Wally Potts, was the epicentre of hip in a city that was the coolest place on earth. White Trash was a venue for outrageous transvestite burlesque acts, fetishists and alternative musos – Mick Jagger came to sample their cheeseburgers and electro star Peaches was a regular DJ. But Potts had set up shop underneath an apartment block in former East Berlin, where residents, in particular the charming ex-journalist Horst Woitalla, preferred a quiet life of communist regulation and curfew. Their age-old story of conflict and clashing idealism is told in Wellington-based filmmaker Jess Feast’s fascinating and vibrant documentary, which explores the reality of life behind the Berlin Wall after its collapse. While working as a waitress at White Trash for 18 months, Feast encountered an ironic new class of refugees: American artists and libertines who fled to East Berlin to escape George Dubya’s oppressive regime.
short trailer >>
Cowboys and Communists is the story of two clashing political systems, the reality of life behind the Berlin wall, the collapse and aftermath of Communism, the tragedy of Bush’s America and the difference between Sauerkraut and cheeseburgers.
The Cowboy is Wally Potts. He’s an artist and chef from LA who escaped America to start something new and he now owns one of the most successful restaurants in Berlin "The White Trasch Fast Food".
He’s living out his American Dream in Germany.
The Communist is Horst Woitalla. Horst believed in Communism with all his heart and his very sharp mind. The day the wall fell was the worst day of his life. And you can’t help but feel for him – he lost everything he ever knew over night.
The lives of these two men collide when Wally opens a late night burlesque burger bar, ‘White Trash Fast Food’ in the bottom floor of an East Berlin apartment block where Horst has lived since the Communist era. Horst is determined to take back some of his power and close down ‘White Trash Fast Food’. Wally meanwhile, vies to fight to protect his new-found freedom.
At first it seems like Wally and Horst couldn’t be more different, but over the course of the film you’ll realise that in fact they have a lot of similarities. They are both working class people fighting for their place in a community and a sense of freedom in a system they have no control over.
Cowboys & Communists, New Zealand, 2007
Director: Jess Feast Producers: Jess Feast, Dave Gibson Photography: Bernadette Paassen Editors: Paul Sutorius, Jess Feast, Lala Rolls Sound: Nic Nagel
The BERLINER LISTE is a new fair for contemporary art galleries representing the work of relevant emerging artists.The BERLINER LISTE runs parallel to the ART FORUM fair and provides a more open and relaxed platform for interesting new projects and galleries. More than 50 galleries will show their most interesting artists, in the station – former postal freight depot, near the Potsdammer Platz.
With a new system for defining the booth architecture, by allowing interaction with participating galleries to help define their presentation format and layout, we provide a more convenient fair design, and support a creative and relaxed atmosphere, combined with a café, lounge and dance floor with evening entertainment, including a DJ, will promote the new casual atmosphere.
The BERLINER LISTE connects younger galleries to the long tradition of Fine Art collecting in the 4 million inhabitant, great Berlin. With its rich history and muses, the capitol is Germany's most visited place, from where the BERLINER LISTE will attract more than 12.000 curators, collectors and visitors.
In its 4th year the BERLINER LISTE definitely places emphasis on the international aspect of its participants as well as its audience. The cross- cultural exchange takes place all over the world due to the participation of galleries from all corners of our globe, starting from the middle and south European areas with participants from Germany, Spain, the UK, France, Italy and the Netherlands over the ocean to the American Continent- especially to the USA, Mexico and Chile. What makes the BERLINER LISTE definitely special this year is the boosted interest and participation of galleries from Eastern Europe. Due to the recent enlargement of the European Union the BERLINER LISTE is proud to welcome many galleries from Poland, Latvia and Slowenia, who will contribute a new point of view and a new taste of contemporary art and artists from these areas. With this new input the BERLINER LISTE will enrich the creative work and enlarge the artistic horizon of anyone who is ready and open- minded to face new aspects and possibilities of artistic expression.
sunday morning . breakfast at xbergs moreena with Ramiro und Ulrike from Miroike based in Berlin www.miroike.com miroike was founded 2004 , ulirike & ramiro graduated at the university of arts in the class of vivienne westwood. her style celebrates classical elegance with a bit of charming edge, creating a high-end aesthetic NOUVELLE VAGUE.
6 question INTERVIEW
pGs < INSPRATION ? Miroike > Best inspirations just before waking up
pGs < LIFESTYLE ? Miroike > We have a translator-lifestyle. Translating visions into reality
pGs < FAVOURITE MUSIC ? Miroike > Best working music -Farjid farjad- persian musician
PGS < NO GO s? Miroike > Visiting switzerland without eating toblerone
PGS < LOVE ? Miroike > Berlin´s imperfection and slowlyness
PGs < HATE ? M > New wellness overkill
thx for nice & funny breakfast
SK / projekt GALERIE
Miroike present her SS08 collection during the paris fashion week at rendezvouz / oct.07
