Category Archives: Berlin

January 2020 unterwegs!

Unterwegs with Stella Ahangi and Brigitta Kuesgen Jan 20 2020 by Suzanne ForbesWell, actually only two three January unterwegs and one mystery underwegs!

I met lovely ladies on the S-Bahn!

The city always has a gift. I went across town to see House of Living Colors‘ Endangered Species show at Sophiensaele, but there were no tickets available. However, on the S-Bahn I met these glamorous ladies, who were heading to Alex for their event at Berlin Fashion Week.

The lady with the hat is Stella Ahangi, the powerhouse creative behind Club der Glamourösen Exzentriker. Apparently they have Glam Walks with lots of stylish older people, that start right by our house!! The lady with the blue hair is Brigitta Kuesgen.

Unterwegs boys on the U Bahn Jan 30 2020 Suzanne ForbesI also saw these boys on the platform, during this trip.

They were such a story, such a world of two, so intent. One well-cared-for, with neat braids; one with outgrown haircut and trousers. People are infinite.

Unterwegs with headphones and phones Jan 10 2020 by Suzanne ForbesThe scene above is from my travels to Kay’s t-birthday party.

I am always fascinated by the rhythms of machine-usage, like this group of people: headphones phone, headphones phone, phone, headphones!

Unterwegs with book and phones Jan 20 2020 by Suzanne ForbesThe one above is the mystery unterwegs.

When I first saw it in the sketchbook last week, I had no memory at all of drawing it. When I set to work to finish it, some vague recall came back: it was on one of the new buses, and I remember being fascinated by how much the reader had going on, clothes-wise. Those wooden toggle buttons on her canvas coat! Her hat! But when it happened, where I was going, whether it was early last spring or early last Fall – I have no idea.

You can see hundreds more unterwegs drawings celebrating life on Berlin’s public transit system here. All unterwegs drawings are courtesy of my Patrons on Patreon whose monthly financial support allows me to make this free art available!

First event of 2020 – a private party at Maze for Kay’s T-Birthday!

My pov at Kays birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesMy friend Sadie’s co-parent Kay invited me to his T-Birthday party.

It was my first time at a t-birthday! And I got to see someone get their first testosterone shot too, isn’t that cool? Lots of Berlin queer legends were in effect, that’s Laura Méritt of the PorYes Awards dancing above.

I asked the guy sitting next to me if he knew Kay and was there for the party. No, he said, he was here with his friend to talk to the club about hiring the space, and they decided to have a beer. “This is the third beer…” he said. Everyone in Berlin is wearing berets lately!

Kay at his 11th T birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesHere is the birthday boy, in his first outfit!

He wore multiple looks during the event of course.

Kaey performs at Kays birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesThe MC was lovely Kaey, in the most incredible Space Invaders graphic houndstooth dress.

She sang a tender version of “Creep” for all us weirdoes 🙂

Ceven performs at Kay birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesI saw Ceven perform for the first time since he began his drag journey.

He slipped out of a bunny onesie (he’s in the drawing below), then a flight suit!Crowd at Kays birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne Forbes

I was drawing loose and sketchy, because the light was mostly red light and fog machine.

And I was squished up with the beret guy and his friend on a squishy low couch. My pens kept falling between us and then I had to fish them out from under his butt.

The underground brick vault of a club, Maze, used to be BangBang, and before that it was legendary Queer Berlin homespace Schwuz. Schwuz is now a huge fancy place, but Kay and Sadie remember the basement days 🙂 and I was mistaken for Nina Hagen in the courtyard.*

Kay P Rinha performs at Kays birthday party Jan 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesThis is performer Kay P. Rinha, shaking it tough!

There were many Kays last night, and they were all amazing.

I was able to be there and document them because of my Patrons. As a queer, disabled artist, crowdfunded support is the only way I can make this work and release it for free. 

You can join my Patreon Patrons, for as little as a dollar/euro a month, to keep me working and releasing my documentary art of Queer Berlin as Free Art.

*turns out it is no longer a compliment to be mistaken for Nina Hagen as she has outed herself as a transphobe/terf.