Category Archives: Berlin

Berlin artist Maïmouna Coulibaly poses at Adenauerplatz.

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Maïmouna Coulibaly posing at Adenauerplatz August 29 2021 by Suzanne ForbesWhat bonne chance this was!

Just as I’ve become re-obsessed with Neo-Victorian fashion and the bustle silhouette, Berlin artist Maïmouna Coulibaly posted a video of herself in a beautiful bustle outfit!

I asked if we could have a drawing meetup and she said yes, but it had to be this weekend, since she only had the costume rented for a few days!

So we met up on Adenauerplatz on the sunny Saturday, and wow, Maïmouna looked INCREDIBLE.

Maïmouna Coulibay by Suzanne Forbes Aug 29 2021Maïmouna is an author, director, choreographer and more.

She has a book coming out this Fall, and teaches Booty Therapy, a joyful form of dance therapy for femmes.

She has acted in films and also occasionally makes time to perform onstage at a burlesque or drag show. Extravagant Shambles was where I first met and drew her, and we have stayed in touch.

I very much want to attend one of Maïmouna’s big crowd events at some point!

Another upcoming project: 

Wayward Life: a performance on the trail of Black Activists, inside Berlin in the early 20th century.

The decolonial performance walk at Treptower Park happens Sept. 3 and 5. Learn more here!

Above and below you can see the drawing as it was when we finished our session and I brought the drawing inside to finish it.

Maïmouna Coulibaly posing at Adenauerplatz August 29 2021 by Suzanne Forbes work in processMaïmouna Coulibaly’s new book is Je me relève, from Éditions Carrière publisher. It will be out on November 19th 2021.

Booty Therapy classes happen in Paris and Berlin, and sometimes other places!

You can watch Maïmouna and her students, Les Bootykilleuses, perform Booty Therapy in the Berlin subway. You’ll be glad you watched!

Booty Therapy in Berlin Subway from Maïmouna on Vimeo.

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a vaccinated but Covid-vulnerable disabled person.

With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.

Drawing Rah Hell at Adenauerplatz, August 2021..

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Rah Hell at Adenauerplatz by Suzanne Forbes August 27 2021I had another meet-and-draw, with Beloved Friend-Muse-Patron Rah Hell!!

Rah is one of my oldest Berlin friends, and has been an incredible muse to me. Drawing her playing the drums is one of the most fun challenges I’ve ever faced!

So since she won’t be in Berlin much longer, we had to meet up outside Graffiti and have a chat and a draw.

Rah Hell at Adenauerplatz by Suzanne Forbes August 27 2021Such a pleasure to see this dear friend and draw her familiar face.

As you can see from the scan above versus the photograph at the top of the post, it really is hard to convey how the pastels look in these drawings. But when I photograph drawings with the ipad, there is orthographic distortion. So it’s kind of a tough call.Rah Hell at Adenauerplatz by Suzanne Forbes August 27 2021 detail

In this case, the photograph looks so much better, even with a little distortion.

Rah will be performing with @felineandstrange at Steam Ball, a female-fronted alternative music festival, next weekend here in Berlin!!

I hope you will also check out Rah’s drum teaching Patreon 🙂

So grateful to longterm Patron Rah (who was my first German Patron!) and to all my other Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a vaccinated but Covid-vulnerable disabled person.

With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.

Other drawings and portraits of Rah:

The most punk charity benefit.

The most gay rugby benefit.

With Alfred Ladylike at Art Stalker.

At The Night of The Living Drummesses!

At the Tom Petty tribute show Rah helped create.

New Year’s 2018, at Lagari.

More New Year’s 2018, at Lagari.

With The Erinyes at Art Stalker.

Band practice at the secret space.

My portrait of Rah hanging at Ludwig, the first painting I showed in Berlin.

Rah at Uke Boogie, a delightful event she created and ran for several years.

More Uke Boogie.

Rah filming Das Fluff at Monster Ronsons.

With Donut Heart at Arcanoa.

Starting the big portrait.

With Donut Heart onstage at the Lesbisches and Schwules (Gay and Lesbian) Festival.

My first time at Uke Boogie!

And the Donut Heart video release party, which was when my life in Berlin really crystallized and began.

I am so grateful to Rah for the belonging, friendship, inspiration and laughter she has given me during her Berlin years. I look forward to hearing about her further adventures.