Ursula Meyer is an artist, illustrator and scenographer in Essen. She tells us what drives her to create art and where to find the most delicious food in Essen.
Our questionnaire
Urban discovery with: Ursula Meyer
How would you describe yourself and your work to an alien?
To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd be able to say anything if I saw an alien. I'd be much more interested in hearing what they have to say! I suppose I'd say something like this: Hello, and welcome. I'm a painter who uses a wide range of colors to make portraits of myself from my life on planet Earth. What do you guys do?
What is your drive to create art?
Ever since I can remember I've wanted to create art. A kind of primal instinct to be creative, to make the world a little more colorful and to create something beautiful. It is a way to shape my reality and my environment and also to irritate something. I also always find the reactions of the viewers interesting and what they think when they see my art. In my paintings I also process my history, which is influenced by different cultures and so I see the whole thing also somewhat therapeutic. And last but not least, I enjoy my work.
What do you love most about the Ruhr region in general?
I know a lot of great people here, friends, acquaintances, short encounters that last. There are many opportunities to be creative, I have the feeling that you can still change and move something here. The mixture of urban and nature also appeals to me.
Photo: Medienmalocher
Photo: Andrea Kiesendahl
Three places in the Ruhr region that you definitely show visitors:
At least 10 spots on the Ruhr that are fantastic. Visits to museums and exhibitions. Pub crawl through the hoods.
What makes the art and culture scene here so special?
I move mainly in the subcultural scene and find that this scene has remained on the carpet, it has a lot of talent and great potential. There is a great willingness to work with each other, to start actions -and in fact, after so many years here, I am always positively surprised!
In which places do you feel the metropolis of the arts here?
Personally, I think that to become a 'metropolis' of the arts, there still needs to be some collaborative work between the cities. The alternative scenes get far too little attention and support from politics. You have to take a lot into your own hands and organize it. Of course you can feel the approach of such an art metropolis in the colorful museum landscape and the different theater festivals here, but it could definitely become much more colorful in the "Pott".
Where/when did you have your best cultural experience?
Actually always at self-organized events or actions like the Beatplantation or the Flabbergasted Festival. Or when we occupied houses as a collective to demand creative spaces. That was nice.
Where do you like to go to eat & drink?
Food in Essen: At "Taj" at Mülheimerstrasse 91 (best to order number 19). "Peace foods" in Frillendorf is also mega delicious and all vegan. "Tofino" has delicious burgers. "Tatort" is more for a fancy evening, but super gourmet and yummy. "Chilly House" has a mega good udon soup. "Abu Nour" has delicious fallafel and hummus. Pizzeria "La Rosa" has a new oven and since then I think it's the most delicious pizza in all of Essen, crispy good. "Habibiz", "Kampier buddies", etc.
Drinking: Quaint Ruhrpott pubs that can be found on every corner, like the "Ampütte" - or just corning somewhere outside.
The best parties are in...
"Goethe Bunker", "Druckluft", Open Airs and of course in summer at festivals all over Germany, which make you gobsmacked.
If the Ruhrgebiet was a song, this is what it would sound like:
"I hate you, I love you, I can't get enough of you, apparently"
What is your next project?
There are a lot of projects going on in parallel, as an artist you have to work on several tracks. As soon as it gets a bit warmer, I have to paint some walls. At home I'm currently working on the design of a 52 card tarot set and slowly but surely I have to plan a solo exhibition in an empty space, whether that will take place in our current Corona situation is still up in the air.
