East Side Gallery

Monday, June 18th.

Today started off slowly. After breakfast, I worked on readings in my room until Catie and I stopped for lunch at a small Chinese place, two doors down.  The food was yummy and fairly cheap!  We walked around the neighborhood for a while, checking out some clothing shops and antique stores. I bought two very cool postcards to send to Mom and Matthew.  I communicated enough German to an older women to buy some delicious strawberries!

Later in the evening, the Art groups went to the East Side Gallery on the Berlin Wall.  It was pouring rain during the beginning of the trip which made it hard to take pictures and examine the images.  As a museum, the East Side Gallery does not work very well.  Hence, the word “gallery”.  There is only a small sign and a long audio tape you can press that is not as interesting or concise or informative as it could be.  As a “commissioned gallery” I would have enjoyed more signs or placards which would indicate what the original images were, what was the purpose, maybe even a small artist statement.  This seems to create a paradox or divide between the commissioned “graffiti” art and the “true” graffiti art which is done against the law.  Freedom of expression is questioned, whether through the copies that the government wants to make.

I enjoyed what I saw on the wall, but more information may have helped, if the point was to educate the public.  While many parts of the wall were filled with what many would consider beautiful, recognizable, or thought-provoking pieces of art, there was also many examples of genuine graffiti, words and phrases quickly splashed on empty spaces, or over current images, with spray paint.

There were some "signs" directly on the paintings indicating the artist and sometimes a website to get a hold of the artist.  There were also a few examples that said "Copy 2009 by:  ____" which I took to mean that another artist repainted an image that was already once on the wall.

The use of political figures was prevalent, and many of the images related to social or politicial issues in one way or another, many dealing with splits such as the East/West Berlin split itself or the Apartheid in South Africa.

 

 It was interesting the sign said “It is forbidden to deface or damage the Wall,” speaking of defacement as the uncommissioned graffiti images which were very prevalent.  My favorite use of uncommissioned graffiti was on a quote in English and German.  On the English side it said “He who wants the world to remain as is doesn’t want it to remain at all.” A rogue artist added an S in from the of the HE to form the word, SHE.

 I also enjoyed watching other people’s reactions to the Gallery.  Many took pictures of the Wall, touched it, took pictures with it, and I even saw one man kissing the giant portrait image of another man as a photo opportunity.  I’ve been taking the shoot from the hip mentality and I have some images of other viewers of the wall.

It is hard to even imagine the immensity of what was once the Berlin Wall, now that it is covered with beautiful and powerful art. From a historical perspective, it seems that the division and reunification is downplayed.  Many average tourists or average viewers see cool artwork, forgetting that this wall once kept families from seeing each other.  I wish that this monument was used more a memorial along with a gallery.  While I think the idea of the gallery brings hope and unity between the two sides, I think that it is important to remember what happened at the wall and the pain these people shared for so long.

Kreuzberg gave a more authentic street artist feeling, as the work was all done on free will and not due to a commission.  The work appeared almost natural, building up over time and using the architecture of an old train yard to create art.  In some places it appeared as if some graffiti art was covered up, but the peeling, gray, top coat revealed the bright works underneath.

We saw what appeared to be Bansky, Vils, El Bocho, Just, and Alias, among others.  The viewers here seemed not to give the works a second glance, frequenters of these spots.  This is the beauty of the street art, that it goes unnoticed by so many, and even seems unimpressive in some cases.  In this way, Vils' piece was not as impressive as one might think, being inside the gated area and off to the side so it was harder to see.

 

 The day ended with a delicious dinner of Doner Kebaps from a small restaurant in Kreuzberg.  The sandwich was huge, and definitely filled our stomachs as we watched Croatia and Spain play in the Euro Cup.

 

Yum!