There is a street in the lovely neighborhood of Neustadt. It winds its way up a slight incline, the houses clustered together, reminding one of those romantic Paris side streets. On this street stands an atelier adorned with large scale paintings, fine quality leather goods, and a corner displaying a fashion line. It is run by two sisters, Jule and Clara Dittmer and the street is called “Brothers Street”. Atelier Dittmer is not just a gallery but also a shop and an event space that exudes the artist mind. It is a lifestyle.
Jule is the older sister, refined, tactical and precise. She scours the internet and buys old leather couches. Couches with a history and leather that is finely aged. It takes strength to drive her VW bus and collect from odd addresses in the city. Fit in person, you can imagine her on the sidewalk stripping the sofa down of its exterior and saving the leather to work on later. She says she likes leather because its natural and a long living material. She enjoys giving it a second life, cut and sewed into tote bags, wallets, passport holders and more. And the visitors to the shop agree as it is quite popular for those leather goods to go to new homes. Then you see her other side, the one hanging on the garment rack, displaying her latest collection made only of natural materials. She calls it “Ebbe & Flut” which translates to ebb and flow. The clothing is made of heavy wool and light silk content that is inspired by nature and can be combined with other clothing. She doesn’t believe in seasonal collections, her fashion flowing seamlessly together through out the year. You can see from her work what a professional she is, having been inspired in the fourth grade after sewing frog green pants with a flare, she has been building on her talent ever since.
Clara is the other side, the painter that creates work on canvases that can reach 180cm. She paints stories, scenes of landscapes in Bologna where she has lived (and studied), family moments captured in the past, and personal experiences. The outcome is impressive displaying an artist that captures the human experience in a way that stays on your mind long after you have left. She also does commission work for private buyers painting everything from children to family portraits. Clara’s hands understand the resistance of a brush stroke as it is similar to her other love, the cello. She has been playing since she was six and that has been a big influence in her paintings. She says playing the cello, she sometimes hears a note and translates it to paint. Both medians inspire each other. Her work has won awards and are often displayed in different spaces around the city.
©Atelier Dittmer
The sisters grew up in a household were they sat across from each other on drawing marathons. With the direction of their architect father who loved to draw and a mother who was an art and German teacher, the road to success was laid organically. A sibling rarity that work well together, you would think they were twins but have a three year age difference. They are their biggest fans and supporters. Together they hold exhibitions of their work as well as other young artists of Hamburg, often including musicians, singers, and writers. Their visitors come from all the age groups and have a commonality that they enjoy inspiring art. When you visit Hamburg, Atelier Dittmer is a must see. You will get to experience two beautiful, young Hamburg artists with talent beyond their years. They will speak to you, interested in what you do and where you are from. You understand immediately why their art influences all who visit. They tell you about their latest projects and you are inspired. You make sure to walk away with a unique piece of art as a gift to yourself or to someone else, and like so many others, you become a loyal fan.
Atelier Dittmer
Brüderstraße 18, 20355 Hamburg
Phone: +49 40 180 108 08
Facebook: Atelier Dittmer
