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East Side Gallery

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The Berlin wall has become a Mecca for graffiti writers. Featured here is an image of Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker making out. The words at the top read "God! help me stay alive." Image taken in 2005.

The East Side Gallery is an international memorial for freedom. It is a 1.3km long section of the Berlin Wall located near the centre of Berlin on Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain.

Description

The Gallery consists of approximately 106 paintings [1] by artists from all over the world, painted on the east side of the Berlin Wall. It is possibly the largest and everlasting open air gallery in the world. The first painting was started by Christine Mac Lean in December 1989 immediately after the fall of the wall. Paintings from Kasra Alavi, Kani Alavi, Jim Avignon, Thierry Noir, Ingeborg Blumenthal, Ignasi Blanch i Gisbert, and others have followed.

A painting in the East Side Gallery

The paintings at the East Side Gallery document the time of change and express the euphoria and great hopes for a better and free future for all people of the world.

For tourists the most interesting part of the East Side Gallery is the section close to station Ostbahnhof where all the paintings were completely restored. Also of interest is the river-side part of the East Side Gallery which shows the current art of Berlin's graffiti scene.

In July 2006, to facilitate access to the River Spree from O2 World, a 40 meter section was moved somewhat west, parallel to the original position. [1]

Restoration

Two-thirds of the paintings are badly damaged by erosion, graffiti, and vandalism. One-third has been restored by a non-profit organization which started work in 2000. The objective of this organization is the eventual restoration and preservation of all the paintings.

Full restoration, particularly of the central sections, is projected for 2008. [2]

Location

  • Mühlenstraße, Berlin-Friedrichshain, Germany
  • S-Bahn: S3, S5, S7, S75, S9, station Ostbahnhof or Warschauer Straße
  • Subway: U1, station Warschauer Straße
  • East Side Gallery.
    East Side Gallery.
  • East Side Gallery.
    East Side Gallery.
  • A popular slogan graffitied on one of the sections of the East Side Gallery, reading: "No more wars. No more walls. A united world."
    A popular slogan graffitied on one of the sections of the East Side Gallery, reading: "No more wars. No more walls. A united world."
  • East Side Gallery.
    East Side Gallery.
  • Famous slogan stating: "Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world."
    Famous slogan stating: "Many small people, who in many small places, do many small things, can alter the face of the world."
  • East Side Gallery.
    East Side Gallery.

References

  1. ^ "Berlin Wall East Side Gallery". Artists Initiative East Side Gallery e.V. Retrieved 2006-03-22.
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