4.5.15

The Berlin Wall at the Gare de l'Est


The Gare de l’Est is one of the more important railway stations in Paris (see previous post). This post will be about a more specific event, but first perhaps a reminder of what the station looks like on a rainy day, from the back and from the front side. Some of the surrounding’s empty facades are nicely decorated.


The special event is a temporary exhibition dedicated to the Berlin Wall  (1961-1989):
“Art Liberté – du Mur de Berlin au Street Art”. 

The Gare de l’Est is the Paris station from where most of the trains to Germany leave. Why the link with Street Art? The French artist Thierry Noir (see further down) was the first to paint the Wall – in 1984 – followed by Keith Haring and many other artists who later would become famous and this all certainly contributed to a general growth of street art in Europe as from the 80’s on.
  
In front of the station you can see a large collection of paintings, made by well-known street artists - on saved pieces of the Wall.


There are also some iconic East German Trabant cars, newly repainted. (Three million cars produced over 30 years).

Inside the station, close to where you can see the large painting with (smiling) soldiers leaving for the WWI front lines, you can also find illustrations of paintings which were on the Wall during the 80's. 




(… and, as at many places now, some people practising on a (bad) piano.)

In the neighbouring street, rue d’Alsace, there is a large wall which has been decorated by three of the original Berlin Wall artists, Thierry Noir (see top picture), Christophe-Emmanuel Bouchet and Kiddy Citny. The wall will stay there “until further notice”, whereas the station exhibition will end July 8.

Nearby you can find some “birds” by the Brazilian artist L7M.



… and the environment, of course, inspires some more or less authorised paint work. 


8 comments:

Anonymous said...



As usual, very impressed by your fantastic photography!
No less so by the beautiful architecture of your beloved city.
The work of that Brazilian artist is sublime....
Maria

Virginia said...

I"ve never visited this station. Will have to put it on THE LIST. I like a lot of the work you've shared. Reminds me that in 2009, the Palais Royal had an exhibit around the fountains of sections of the wall that had been done. Not so whimsical as those you showed us today. Great post Peter.
V

Virginia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda said...

I've only taken a train from Gare de l'Est once. I vaguely remember Eric Tenin posting about the area. Like Virginia, it should be put on my list.

Jeanie said...

Peter, can you clarify something -- were these painted AFTER the wall came down or while it was still up on one side or the other -- and if that is the case, East or West? I ask because if you look at my FB banner photo or my earlier post on the trip to PA, there was a piece of the wall there -- very painted, as you'd see. Rick and I were curious about when that painting was done -- before or after. No artist was credited. Thanks!

PeterParis said...

Jeanie:
What we can see is - in front of the station - new paintings, made on empty, saved, pieces of the wall. Inside the station, there are reproductions (photos...) of decorations which were made on the wall, before destruction. What we can see on the wall on the rue d'Alsace, are new decorations, made by three artists who were among the first to decorate the wall around 1984. They certainly had to do it on the west side, the east side had a lot of forbidden space in front of the wall and was seriously surveyed.

claude said...

Il faudrait que je juge de visu mais cela me laisse perplexe. J'ai un peu de mal avec tout ça.

Studio at the Farm said...

I love reading about all these artistic events in Paris! The Brazilian birds are gorgeous. Thank you for all the great photography, Peter.
Kathryn