Visitors to Berlin show us their favourite art on the capital’s fallen wall at the East Side Gallery and tell us why it’s special.
Dana Reynolds, 27, from Melbourne, Australia, and John Linari, 23, from Seattle, United States
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Click to listen to John:
“I really like this piece because in general the Berlin Wall has so much history and social attachment to all the different conflicts that have happened in Berlin and in Germany as a whole. In most places they don’t have a wall for graffiti and someone expressing themselves. I really like this one because personally there’s so much detail, it’s very abstract, but you can see what’s going on, you see the different areas, people holding prized possessions. It catches your eye, makes you want to stare at it and take it all in.” – John Linari Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Dana:
“I think I particularly like this piece because of the scale and the juxtaposition with the surroundings. It’s a really nice balance of chaos and simplicity – the colours are really enjoyable.” – Dana Reynolds Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Katie said this was her favourite because of the “colour and symmetry”.
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Gianmarco:
“I must say that this is the first time I’ve seen this – I’ve been here three or four times in this part of Berlin, and this is the first time I recognise this painting, and I like it because of the idea that someone else is pushing your thumb up. I guess it reminds me of the Soviet Union somehow. That’s why I like it.” – Gianmarco Trapani Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Nicolò:
“I like this because it looks like there is a woman trying to keep out all the armies and violence from the planet. You can see how outside this planet there is a spreading rainbow and some roots of trees, and some guys that are partying, they are happy.” – Nicolò Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Hanneleen, 16, Laila, 16, Mieke, 17, and Jondahl, 16, from the Netherlands
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Hanneleen and her friends:
“I really like this work of art by Peter Russell because the colours are very beautiful, there’s a lot to see, it’s really full, so it catches your eye. Everything on this wall has symbolism that really speaks to me, which makes it very interesting to look at and also the way it is painted is very beautiful. It’s nice that you need to have time to look at it – you have to look longer at it to understand what it means, and what the artist means with it.” – Hanneleen and friends Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
“Albert Einstein is a very famous person in Germany and he’s a very intelligent guy who has always impressed me.” – Sillmann Helge
“This piece of art seems so incongruous with everything, because you’ve got the history of the Berlin Wall, where you’re entering either the American or Russian sector. I just love that they decide to go with the Japanese sector instead. It’s completely out of place, and for that purpose I absolutely love it. Me with my Russian hat, being in Germany, looking at the Japanese sector. I just love how it all comes together.” – Andrew Allan
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
“I think this art stands out because it’s predominantly black, which the rest of them aren’t, the rest are trying to be very colourful. It’s remarkably different. The black is fitting, as the days of the Berlin Wall depict a very depressing atmosphere etc, [and] with Tokyo and New York it shows international influences in Berlin. All that combined, along with the depiction of the Berlin TV Tower and the big rotating Mercedes symbol, brings it all together quite nicely.” – Andrew
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Johnnie, 28, from Australia, and Elize, 25, from Singapore
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Johnnie:
“I like this piece because it signifies freedom, so humans are able to overcome any type of obstacle and get to the final goal, and it’s colourful.” Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to the Fernandez family:
“We like this one because it’s very colourful and it’s a gloomy day, and because it reminds us of the Spanish painter Picasso.” – the Fernandez family Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
“We like this because the hands appear to press the wall.” – Alice.
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
“I like this art because of the year 1989, which was an important year for German people, but also for me, as it’s the year I was born.” – Chiara
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Melissa:
“I like the dove because it’s on the Berlin Wall, which represents sort of the peace when it was brought down, and then you’ve got the chain instead of the branches [the dove] normally holds, which represents the breaking of the peace. It’s a bit more symbolic than just the branches.” – Melissa Bowen Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
This piece of art was on an adjoining wall to the Berlin Wall that was adorned with equally impressive art. Tom enjoyed it with quiet appreciation.
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Laura (in Spanish):
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Listen to Laura’s friend translate her into English:
“She says that she likes the controversy of it because it reflects modern times, especially the shock, as the people are dressed like really important people from the parliament, government people, and that makes it even more of a shock.” – Laura’s friend Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Matthew Tucker / BuzzFeed
Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/matthewtucker/the-very-best-art-on-the-berlin-wall-according-to-tourists
