Teenagers aged 14 and older gathered at Club Zenit in Schwerin to participate in a creative graffiti workshop, transforming the exterior walls of the old industrial building into colorful street art. The event, organized by the Graffitifreunde Schwerin association in cooperation with Club Zenit and with support from the city of Schwerin, featured spray cans, paint, rap music, and genuine artistic concepts as participants created murals depicting local landmarks.
More than ten participants from the state capital and the Hanseatic city of Wismar joined the session, which aimed to promote legal graffiti as an alternative to illegal street art. "We want to make a statement against illegal graffiti while emphasizing that we need more legal surfaces in Schwerin," said Martin Lambrecht, chairman of the Graffitifreunde Schwerin association. The event focused on community building and creative freedom, allowing young artists to express themselves through legitimate channels.
The workshop began with an introductory session covering fundamental graffiti techniques for newcomers to the scene. Participants learned about basic shapes, lettering styles, and the selection of appropriate spray nozzle attachments. Skinny caps were demonstrated for creating thin paint lines, while fat caps were used for broader strokes and covering large surface areas. The technical instruction provided essential skills for participants to develop their artistic abilities safely and effectively.
Annika Ferdinando from Schwerin's Youth, Work and Prevention department observed the proceedings with great interest, emphasizing the city's commitment to providing opportunities for young people to explore their creativity. "It's important to us as a city that young people can experiment and try things out," she stated. The youth services department even contributed financial resources to purchase paint supplies for the project, demonstrating municipal support for constructive youth activities.
Lambrecht prepared several stencils featuring Schwerin-themed imagery to ensure local character would be recognizable in the final mural. The artwork incorporated the silhouette of Schwerin Cathedral and included the city's television tower, depicted with its original long spire design. These local landmarks helped connect the artistic expression to the community's identity and cultural heritage.
A young artist known as "Clyk" worked on his statement piece along the lower exterior wall, creating a turquoise-colored script stretching approximately three meters wide. He discovered graffiti through one of the association's workshops a year ago and described it as his true passion, typically spending three to four hours to complete his artistic goals. "I only paint where it's generally legal and for commissioned work," Clyk explained, emphasizing his commitment to legitimate artistic practice.
Dominique Köser created a disco ball design on a black background, while Lambrecht expressed his vision for expanding legal graffiti opportunities in the city. "People want to express themselves creatively, and surfaces are important for that. I think Schwerin is a bit too gray," he said, hoping for additional legal painting areas in the old town. The association has already completed projects along Ludwigsluster Chaussee and the bicycle path along Ratzeburger Chaussee in Schwerin.
Köser, who signs his work with "Smaug," demonstrated the deep fascination that graffiti holds for dedicated artists. "When you work with a spray can for six hours, you get six more hours of real joy from the completed work," he explained. He emphasized that creating graffiti is a comprehensive process extending from initial concepts through paper sketches to the final public mural, requiring patience, skill, and artistic vision. The completed panoramic view at Club Zenit was expected to be fully visible by Sunday, August 17th.
