Documenting Melike Kerpel’s "Place to Be" Mural in Munich

Behind the Lens: Documenting Melike Kerpel’s "Place to Be" Mural in Munich

Every great collaboration starts with a shared passion. In March while attending a photo exhibition at Die Färberei / Kösk, I crossed paths with Artist Melike Kerpel. As we talked, she shared her vision for "PLACE TO BE", a massive community art project destiny to transform a wall at Goethestraße 24 in Munich's vibrant Bahnhofsviertel. I was instantly drawn to the scale and the social impact of her idea. Street art is powerful, but it’s also fleeting and demanding. Right then, I knew I wanted to hand her a tool to amplify her voice. My contribution to the project wasn't with a spray can, but with my camera, putting my photography talent at her disposal to capture the process and give this masterpiece the digital reach it deserved.

The goal behind this documentary photography series was to highlight the contrast between the massive, flowing blue and orange shapes and the intimate, raw details of the workspace: the paint-splattered gear, the clinking cans, and the intense focus in the artists' hands.

When the safety harnesses came off and they were back on solid ground, the concrete wall had been replaced by a powerful symbol of community. The final shots of Melike and her team, exhausted but smiling through the paint stains, are my favorite. They represent exactly why I love lifestyle and documentary photography in Munich: capturing real human connection and the unfiltered stories that shape our city.