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When the Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989, ninety-some artists from around the world turned the wall into a symbol of artistic expression.

Over the past twenty years, the elements have eroded the wall. Recently, Berliners have made an effort to restore the East Side Gallery, a major tourist attraction, with 106 different paintings and graffiti. On November 4, the original artists returned to repaint their emotional renderings.

What was once a representation of repression, is now the site for complete artistic freedom. Gerhard Kreidner (age 69), who escaped from communist East Germany to the West as a young man, says, “This is a very emotional thing for me. The Berlin Wall stands for the total lack of freedom we had at the time.”

This time, the recreated art was done with water-proof acryllic paint, in order to ensure that it lasts through whatever nature throws at it.