Exhibition at Goethe in Athens

Brandenburg Gate @ Heinz J. Kuzdas

It might be most appropriate to start such an exhibition about wall murals along the Berlin wall with reference to what can constitute more than a mere 'German lesson'. Written on that typical concrete rounded cap running atop of the wall was 'doof' - a simple word for something like 'stupid'. Handicapped by many lessons, it was unbelievable to see this division, likewise events since 1945 stupefied many in both East and West Berlin.

Deutschlandstunde / German lesson

by anonymous painter(s) Stresemannstrasse 1986

Heinz J. Kuzdas started to observe the changes of murals along the Berlin Wall in 1981 and continued his photo documentation until the wall came down in 1989.

Gott will Cash / God wants cash 1983 by Jonathan Borofsky

close to the Martin-Gropius Building

Berlin West was the show case of Western Capitalism, KDW the best example: a huge shopping centre with several floors in which abundance especially of luxury items was a sharp contrast to the sparse items in stores of Eastern Berlin. This kind of 'invisible' battle with visible objects meant not only to be engaged in an enormous variety of everything from children toys to all kinds of perfumes, but also the design was done in a different way. Without realizing it, artists like Richard Hambleton anticipated the future would entail likewise living in a ghetto of luxury.

"Ghetto de Luxe" 1984 by Richard Hambleton near Mariannenstrasse

Home of the fallen angels near Mariannenstrasse 1988

Analogy close to Check Point Charlie by Ron English 1988

In the last minute, that is after the entire wall had collapsed already, there was painted a mural in 1990. It was filled with many slogans which indicate not only what has to be realized as underlined by wide opened eyes, but also what sort of resolute paroles were given to mark the start of new times. It expresses intuitive feelings as to what lies ahead. Important is the reference to culture as it shall become the new slogan or even 'Ersatz-Ideologie' - the replacement of the old ideologies in both East and West.

" Fight your misery" - "Do or die" - "Act up Now" - "Culture Attack" "Get Human Now" - "Create life" Indiano at Leuscherdamm in 1990

Text by Hatto Fischer

Photos by Heinz J. Kuzdas

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Exhibition at Goethe in Athens