The Thread That Ties Us Together

Photo by Nika Kramer

“The Thread That Ties Us Together” was created in conjunction with Urban Nation Berlin in the neighborhood of Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany, (and was inadvertently painted during the week of March 17, 2020, at the start of the coronavirus outbreak and the resulting shutdowns beginning to take place throughout Europe last week).
Coincidentally, the title and theme of the work apply as much to the global virus outbreak as to the original mural concept.  Initially, when thinking about this project, I considered the mural’s location in Kreuzberg, a Berlin neighborhood known for its diverse range of backgrounds and cultures.  Here, it can sometimes seem that differences among neighborhood residents outweigh the similarities. So what ties us together? As an American-born, non-native Berliner, this project resonated with my own immigrant experience in the city. What do I represent here? What role to I have to play in the culture of Berlin? What do I as an artist have to contribute to a city that’s still new to me, and so culturally different to the way I grew up? I realized the thing that everyone shares in Berlin is the city of Berlin itself. It’s the city, the neighborhood, and our “home” (however new, temporary, or permanent) that ties us together. Many of us are not German natives, but we as people contribute to society in some way and make the city what it is. This is the “thread” that unites us, and this is something to celebrate!  
Additionally, with the rise of the coronavirus outbreak around the globe, we also have a “thread” that ties us together. I hope this mural can shine some positivity on the current global situation, a reminder that we have humanity in common, no matter how difficult things may seem.  We are in this together and we have a rare opportunity to support and care for each other during this tough time. Perhaps this accidental secondary meaning is no coincidence at all. 
Thank you to Jennifer Sanchez and Nika Kramer for the project photos.  Thank you to Yes & Pro. Production Team for the project support, and thank you to Urban Nation and Gewobag for organizing everything.