Play 11 THINGS I LEARNED SPENDING A YEAR IN BERLIN'S PARKS | part 4  There is something healing about nature which also applies to play. Coming from Silicon Valley where people regularly work 60-70-80 hours a week, the amount of time and space dedicated to play...

There is a great thing about communal histories. It feels nice to have a similar framework to talk about. But these communal histories leave out many voices and aspects of the past that still impact people today. Colonialism is finally being acknowledged in academic circles in Germany yet many the colonial public monuments do not yet reflect this dialogue. The parks of Berlin hold history in many obvious, but also many hidden ways.

The abundance of public space in Berlin is not guaranteed. The large Volksparks arose during industrialization in Berlin, under the pressures to provide more public services. Today, pressures are moving toward development. I think it’s interesting to see the history of parks and public space in Berlin and reflect on the forces that gave rise to the presence of the green space we enjoy today.

Representation in public space has been intentional throughout time. But today, as a society we are less careful about the monuments and messages remain in public. I got very curious about the public figures I saw in Berlin parks which led me to question what we want to show now?

How would you paint the future you want to see? When I film in parks, I seek beauty. It is now always obvious or easy. But so much beauty exists if you look and listen closely.