cold war
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1987 – 1991
Christoph Tannert describes these paintings as part of a young East Berlin scene that created its own spaces between music, literature and visual art. He identifies a defiant melancholy, strong colours and clear references to rock music and film. The works capture the spirit of this scene while resisting reduction to a single political message.
Tannert reads Mauerdurchbruch and Mann vor Mauer as paintings in which wanderlust becomes political. In 5 nach 4, he recognises an affinity with Tom Waits; in Seele brennt, a dialogue with Einstürzende Neubauten. Brigitte Rieger-Jähner traces the smoker paintings to the visual language of 1920s enamel cigar advertisements: their bold graphic presence gives rise to a figure that anticipates the metropolitan spirit of Berlin after 1989.
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Texts by Christoph Tannert and Brigitte Rieger-Jähner
ECHO paintings
Cold War – The Wall – Die Mauer
