Surely one of the great facets of Berlin life is the weekend visit to the many flea markets about the city where you can find anything from antiques to zips. They are on streets, around squares, in parks and in odd locations really worth finding. My favourite market, for its variety of produce and its amazing location, is the market in Alt-Treptow on the banks of the Spree river. It is indoors which is great in winter, and located in a beautiful nineteen twenties industrial building.
The huge red brick building was built for the Berlin bus company, ABOAG, with amazing sculptural details placed all around the exterior. Check out the gateway shown here in the photograph, with its cut brick sculptures and sandstone Berliner Bear - the emblem for Berlin. Look at the way the bricks make the fanned archway - such attention to detail. Thankfully it is a protected structure now and home to this great ‘Flohmarkt’ - just one of the activities that take place here. The industrial site also hosts exhibition and concert venues and an open air swimming pool and artificial beach by the banks of the Spree river.
Inside the Flohmarkt with its diverse offering
There is such a variety of items for sale it is boggling. Old boots, fur coats, lampshades.
Secondhand missiles? Perhaps.
A beautifully built canoe that needs finishing.
Old keys without locks. Old locks without keys. Who wants either I think to myself.
And, deep breath, cutlery, phones, candlesticks, screwdrivers, chandeliers, brass frogs, bronze elephants, secateurs, squeezey toys and metal letters…and so much more.
There is something sad about the amount of old family photographs in decaying albums, old boxes and envelopes. They have been thrown away by family, friend or stranger because all these previously cherished family portraits have no one around who cares for them. The end of the line I suspect. I look around my living room at the photos and think of how special these are for me. I hope they never end up in a flea market, unloved.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of photography do give me a call or send me an e-mail:
Eugene Langan Photography, Studio Eight, 32 North Brunswick St., Dublin 7. D07 TWX3. Ireland
e-mail: eugene@eugenelangan.com - tel: +353(0)872597907 - web: www.eugenelangan.com