Close up of "I painted over this wall of shame" freedom poem from Hymn of Joy mural by Fulvio Pinna - East Side Gallery - Berlin Wall, Germany
The East Side Gallery is an international memorial to freedom on a long section of the Berlin Wall at Muhlenstrasse. The Gallery, consisting of 105 paintings by artists from all over the world, was painted in 1990 on the east side of the Inner Wall (Hinterlandmauer) facing East Berlin. The River Spree at this location was the actual border zone. The murals document a time of change, with the great hope of a better, more free future. Here we see a large and colourful mural, entitled 'Hymn to Joy', painted by the Italian artist. Fulvio Pinna. It shows a siren, a symbol of freedom, swimming elegantly, dragging all the symbols of Germany's tragedies of Nazism and Stalinism. Below are the symbols of joy: the sea, wind, wild horses, Venice and Roman culture. The mural also shows one aspect of the history of the Berlin Wall: a small girl drowned in the waters of the River Spree, unrescued because of the threat of gunfire from border guards. The painting is closed by a poem: 'I painted over the wall of shame, so freedom is ashamed no more. Inferno ruled too many years until the people chose the light. I put my faith in you, Berlin, and give to you my colours bright (Fulvio Pinna, Italy, 1990)'.
Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Photo credit: © Chris Skoyles / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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