Germany

The Brothers Grimm

Funny and friendly

This illustration from "Hans in Luck" was created in the 1940s, but actually looks more contemporary than that. It was drawn by Swiss artist Herbert Leupin, who is well-known for his often quite humorous advertising posters. He also illustrated a number of Brothers Grimm tales.

The Brothers Grimm

New aesthetic

The 1960s were a time for change - even in the area of illustration. Horst Lemke experimented here with "The Town Musicians of Bremen." His drawings were reminiscent of children's art, deliberately avoiding perfectionism. "That way, children are more encouraged to draw themselves," says Pauline Liesen from the Picture Book Museum in Troisdorf, Germany.

The Brothers Grimm

Sweet details

Illustrations by Eva Johanna Rubin can also be found in the Grimm exhibition in Troisdorf. Her 1969 portrayal of Little Red Riding Hood resembled those from the 1920s and 30s, with its clear lines, many details and conspicuously distinct colors. Her figures are very cute - even the Big Bad Wolf doesn't quite seem so bad anymore…

The Brothers Grimm

The very beginning

Ludwig Emil Grimm's wolf is anything but cute. At the request of his older brother, Wilhelm Grimm, he created various illustrations for the so-called small edition of fairytales in 1825, but remained uncredited in the volume. This picture by Ludwig Emil Grimm is one of the oldest of its kind.

The Brothers Grimm

Guess the story

Now we head back to the 1960s, when Lieselotte Schwarz also experimented with her fairytale representations. This picture is from "Sleeping Beauty," but without the accompanying text, it would be difficult to identify the fairytale. Schwarz's drawings have a unique aesthetic that blurs the distinction between children and adults.

The Brothers Grimm

Harry Potter's cousin

In this case, it's easier to identify the story. In comic style, Sabine Wilharm illustrated the story of "The Fisherman and His Wife" (Aufbau publishing house, 2010) - an aspirational wife who makes are series of increasingly outrageous demands. The style may look familiar; Wilharm also illustrated the covers of the German Harry Potter books.

The Brothers Grimm

Old technique, new take

Sibylle Schenker took an entirely different approach to the topic of fairytales. To illustrate one of the most famous Grimm stories, "Hansel and Gretel," she chose a very old silhouette technique. The result was a book with an unusual aesthetic and a new take on an old story (published by Minedition in 2011).

The Brothers Grimm

Historical view

This portrayal of "Hansel and Gretel" dates back to 1891. Volumes like these can be found in the Brothers Grimm House in Steinau, which is where the authors grew up. The building served as a courthouse in the 1970s, but was turned into a museum in 1998.

The Brothers Grimm

New interpretations

Decades later, in 2012, Henriette Sauvant created this portrayal of "The Frog Prince." In her drawings, she opened up new worlds and interpreted the fairytale in her own way. "The Frog Prince" was the very first story in the original 1812 edition of Grimm fairytales - but back then it was published without illustrations.

The Brothers Grimm

The unknown tales

The sheer variety of illustrations over the past two centuries shows how the Grimm's stories have inspired successive generations. But not all of their fairytales are well-known. The Brothers Grimm House is currently staging an exhibition by Klaus Häring. He illustrated all of the tales in the original 1812 edition in comic-book style - including "The Godfather," pictured here.

Author: Petra Lambeck / kbm | Editor : Helen Whittle

The new Leipzig

Garden party

Annelinde isn't your average urban garden. While organizers encourage visitors, they don't sit around and wait for them. They reach out to the community by doing work in schools, catering events, offering exclusive dinners - and they throw a mean party.

The new Leipzig

Subtle aesthetic

As you walk around Plagwitz, you will notice the natives taking every opportunity to express their creativity. Knit bombing adds color to the otherwise non-descript Köning-Albert Bridge.

The new Leipzig

Sidewalk surfing

The owners of Bastl Boards came to Leipzig from lower Bavaria a year ago. They have long boards in more than 250 shops, and are currently working on a new series due out in spring. A Berlin-based analog photographer prints a shot of Plagwitz, scans it into the computer and then turns it over to a Leipzig artist, who adds his or her creative touch.

The new Leipzig

Unique flavor

Kaffee Schwarz brings together the flavors of a local New England Cafe with the diverse culture you'd expect in Europe. The owners were given the keys to empty buildings on the street. Everything, down to the tiles, is the result of house-diving. All the furniture is for sale and there is a room that serves as a flea market where you can get special one-of-a-kind items.

The new Leipzig

Second life

What's that place on the street corner that is always packed no matter the time of day? You could be fooled into thinking it's a regular kebab shop, but look again - it's all vegan. It's just one of the many start-ups that got their chance through the Leipzig Wächterhaus concept. Rather than letting empty properties go to pot, owners work with locals who fix them up in return for low rent.

The new Leipzig

Opening up innovation

The Spinnerei in Plagwitz continues to be a prime example of how an industrial complex can be turned into a thriving artistic community. Within the framework of the EU Creative Cities Project, the city of Leipzig held its first open innovation conference. Here we see the participants enjoying a tour of the One-Sided Story residency in Halle 14.

The new Leipzig

Make your space

This gallery in a residential property in Demmeringstrasse is another example of creative use of space. The exhibitions are on the second floor, where the plaster and woodwork has been removed to expose the bare bones of the building. Downstairs there are chill-out, bar and dance spaces. People come and engage directly with the art, since all shows are one night only.

The new Leipzig

Fog and water

Demmeringstrasse 74 recently hosted the exhibition "Unter dem Nebel über dem Wasser" (Unter the fog over the water) in conjunction with a project between Manuel Fanzine and Leipzig-based residencies Fugitif and One-Sided Story. The intimate environment perfectly suited the Bemberg Project, a performance piece by French artists Mathias Vouters and Kaya Tasman.

The new Leipzig

Last stop

Anyone who knows Plagwitz will tell you that no evening is complete without a stop at the grungy bar Noch Besser Leben. You will find it buzzing all night, year round. Drinks are cheap and the people are cheerful.

Author: Maeshelle West-Davies | Editor : Kate Müser