Sylvestre Verger
Commissaire General
2, rue Royale
78000 Versailles
France
Tel: (33) 1 39 50 75 85
Fax : (33) 1 39 53 30 09
e-mail : [log in to unmask]
Versailles, November 28, 1997
Exhibition : The Berlin Wall '30 Artists for Freedom'
In 1989, at the fall of the Berlin Wall, 30 blank (from the East side)
pieces of this wall were given to 30 artists. Each of them used its
piece to react in his own way to the historical event which had just
occurred. Today all works are together in a unique collection Berlin
Wall '30 Artists for Freedom'. The exhibition represents, on one hand an
exceptional collection of work by internationally renowned artists
(ARMAN, BUREN, ILya KABAKOV, CANE, Sol LEWITT, Luciano CASTELLI, Eduardo
CHILLIDA, Mimmo PALADINO, Richard LONG, Robert LONGO, Dennis OPPENHEIM,
Gottfried HELNWEIN ...) On the other hand, it is a homage to freedom, to
a re-found Europe and a new international order.The exhibition includes
references to historical landmarks illustrated by texts, photographs,
witness accounts and political declarations concerning the history of
Europe (east and west) and of Berlin, city of tension, from the Yalta
Conference to perspectives of European unification today.
The historical theme deals with the symbolism of this collection and the
diversity of artists represented. It appeals to a very large public.
This last presentation of this exhibition was in Lyon after the G7
meeting to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin
Wall. On November 8th, Immo Stabreit, the German ambassador to France,
and Raymond Barre, deputy Mayor of Lyon, previous Prime Minister, opened
the exhibition.
In Lyon, the exhibition took place under the patronage of Raymond Barre,
Daniel Tarschys, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and
theGoethe Institute. The catalogues were signed by Eberhard Diepgen,
Mayor of Berlin, Raymond Barre, Daniel Tarschys, Helene Carrere
d'Encausse, member of Institut Francaise, European Deputy, President of
the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, and
Jean-Louis Prat, Director of the Fondation Maeght. In front of numerous
French and German journalist Mr. and Mrs. Mikhail Gorbatchev visited the
exhibition on December 9th.
I invite you to visit the tri-lingual (English, German and French)
Internet site of exhibition, created by the newspaper, Le Progres of
Lyon. You will be able to view the works, some comments about the Lyon
exhibition and a statement by Mikhail Gorbatchev on video during his
visit to the exhibition. The historical part of exhibition is not
actually on the site.
Internet site of the exhibition:
http://www.leprogres.fr/Berlin/frameberlin.htm
I thank you for your kind attention to this letter and I am at your
disposal for further information and, should you be interested, to
discuss any details concerning its organization.
Sincerely Yours,
Sylvestre Verger
Commissaire General
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