Danielle de Picciotto reads from her book "The Beauty of Transgression: A Berlin Memoir"

Reading & Discussion
Moderation: Craig Schuftan
"The Beauty of Transgression" is an insider’s memoir that captures the atmosphere and documents the creative history of Berlin’s underground from the 1980s to today. In this book, de Picciotto tells her personal tale of Berlin’s cultural scene before and after the fall of the Wall as well as how it was influenced and changed by the city and its inhabitants over the years. The book brings together her accounts of musicians, fashion designers, and club owners as well as other artists and their milieus with unique first-hand descriptions of milestone places and events. It is not only a fascinating collection of stories about key individuals, but also gives an authentic and detailed overview of why Berlin has become one of the most appealing metropolises for creatives from around the world.

"This book is about remembering some of the secret, magical moments of history, which are not planned or manipulated commercially. They prove that with the decisions we make, each step we take, we forge our world and demonstrate, once again, the unique importance of the individual."
Danielle de Picciotto

“The good news is you can find many of these untold stories in Danielle De Picciotto’s Berlin memoir The Beauty Of Transgression.” WIRE

Danielle de Picciotto
Lives and works in Berlin since 1987
Born in Tacoma, Washington USA
Studied music & art in NYC
Works as interdisciplinary artist in the fields of art / film/ music/ literature/performance
Co-founder of Berlin "Loveparade"
Has exhibited at Zoo London Art Fair (England), Berliner Liste Art Fair (Germany)
Cooperation with German Cultural Goethe Institute in Hong Kong, Milan, Rome, Tokyo, Berlin, Prague, Sarajevo, Mexico City

Book Publications by Danielle de Picciotto

"We Are Gypsies Now" Publisher: Amok Books, Los Angeles Release Date: August 13th 2015
"We Are Gypsies Now - Der Weg ins Ungewisse" Publisher: Metrolit Verlag, Berlin 2013
“The Beauty of Transgression” (a Berlin Memoir) Publisher: Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin 2011

Films & Publications featuring Danielle de Picciotto

"Wendeklang" a Film about the fall of the wall & Berlin" von Felix Denk & Sven von Thülen, August 2014
"It's not only Rock'n'Roll : Sexe, drogues & sagesse du rock" by Catharine Viale & Matthias Moreau;Publisher:Laurent De Sutter 2014
"Berlin What?" Artpublication, Publisher: Uwe Neu & Oliver Thoben; Neonchocolate Gallery, 2013
“Der Klang der Familie” (Suhrkamp); Oral History of Techno in Berlin, by Felix Denk & Sven von Thülen 2012
“Künstlerische Transformationen” Artreviews, Publisher: Reimer Verlag; 2010
"Do You Love Me Like I Love You: Tender Prey" – Filmdocumentary on Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds & contemporaries by Iain Forsyth und Jane Pollard 2009
"SubBerlin" – Filmdocumentary about the legendary Berlin Techno-Club "Tresor" by Tilmann Künzel 2009
"In Berlin" – Berlin Filmdocumentary by Michael Ballhaus und Ciro Cappelari; 2009
„Disorientation-Art on the margin of Contemporary“ by Travis Jeppesen 2008
„The Upset“ 2008; Art publication; Publisher: Die Gestalten; Berlin
„All Allure” 2006 Art Publication; Publisher: Die Gestalten; Berlin

Craig Schuftan (born in1974) is a writer, radio producer and public speaker from Sydney, Australia, currently living and working in Berlin. He is the author of three books on music and popular culture, The Culture Club (2007), Hey! Nietzsche, Leave Them Kids Alone (2009) and Entertain Us! (2012), an Alternative history of Alternative rock in the 1990s. He has given talks and lectures on music history, philosophy and pop culture in Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany.