Wall Project, Los Angeles, October 2009

International artists have painted the original sections of the
Berlin Wall in Los Angeles

On October 23, as part of the Wall Project, four renowned artists gathered
to paint sections of the Berlin Wall that had been installed on Wilshire
Blvd. Los Angeles resident Marie Astrid González based her painting
on the concrete wall on the theme of “Transcend the Divide.”
“It is exciting for me to have the opportunity to paint here.
For me the wall means peace, freedom, and transcended division.”
Alongside LA artists Farrah Karapetian and Kent Twitschell, the fourth
participating artist was Berlin resident Thierry Nior, who in 1984 was
one of the first to paint the Berlin Wall. “This here is something
very special for me. This project awakens so many memories. Back then,
we painted the wall under very different circumstances; that is, it
was forbidden,” he explained. What does the wall symbolize for
him? “It stands for the freedom of Europe and reminds the younger
generation not to make the same mistake again.” Noir simplified
and reduced his painting style for this project. “Because of its
history the wall can’t be painted beautifully,” remarked
the native Frenchman. The wall was erected in front of the Architecture
& Design Museum, 5900 Wilshire Blvd, on October 15, and can be viewed
through November 14. The wall will fall on November 8 at 8:30 pm as
another part of the Wall Project, organized by the Wende Museum in collaboration
with the City of Los Angeles.