Although most graffiti on the wall was freely drawn by everyday civilians, some of Berlin’s most globally recognized artists are displayed here.
Gordon Matta-Clark:
The making of “Made in America”
The Wall / Gordon Matta-Clark from issole on Vimeo.
Gordan Matta-Clark wanted to criticize the inner-city Western political authorities in attempt to expose the negative effects of gentrification. The plastered-on German advertisements and stenciled phrases such as “MADE IN AMERICA” and “FROM USSR MIT LOVE” were intended to denounce the “political and economic values” West Berlin had adopted through U.S propaganda efforts. Tired of watching the neglect of urban spaces deteriorate New York and Berlin, Matta-Clark challenged this type of urban planning by sabotaging the wall’s power. The young artist viewed the concrete barrier as the same kind of “social and spatial control that modernist high-rise housing had come to symbolize,” and sought out to exaggerate the wall’s ugliness by proving it a waste of space (Pugh 422-26).
Keith Haring:
Berlin Wall Mural
“Its about both sides coming together…A humanistic gesture.” This is a just a snippet of the young American activist’s description of his visual protest; the social statement that attracted throngs of people and enraged the German Democratic Republic. Keith Haring was invited by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft 13 August, “a West Berlin group that monitors human rights violations in East Germany,” to Berlin in order to psychologically destroy the wall by “painting over it.” The mural was a chain of human figures painted in black, red, and white, signifying the colors of both East and West Germany (“KEITH HARING”). The abstract illustration symbolized the “future reunification of Germany,” as well as universal peace (Pugh 428).
Thierry Noir:
“I could not make the wall beautiful because in fact it would have been absolutely impossible to do so.”
Thierry Noir wanted to make the barren barrier ridiculous; he intended to humiliate it, and render it’s existence silly. The street artist illegally painted every night for five years; scattering giant colorful cartoon characters along the wall. His work was never detailed, for his sole purpose was to make the structure ugly and embarrassing. He was unable to paint for long periods of time considering these acts of protest were illegal and incredibly dangerous; more than a few times he was stopped by soldiers. Yet still Noir persisted, and in turn heavily impacted civilian life by provoking further protests and encouraging the demise of the wall, as well as the reunification of Germany (The Independent).