Wir sind ein Volk? The unification of Europe between 1989 – 2009

‘Wir sind ein Volk’, the demonstrators of the Peaceful Revolution chanted after the fall of the wall, calling for the unification of the German states. On the poster, the slogan is linked to the theme of ‘nation’ in relation to ‘Europe’ and comes together as a question; ‘How united is Europe?’. How unconditional is this unity actually? Especially now that a financial crisis is raging through the world, the individual European countries seem to be retreating into their shells instead of fighting the problems together.

Three academies: the academy KH Berlin-Weissensee and the Ecole Superieure d’Art et de Design from Paris and my students from the Willem de Kooning academy Rotterdam, participated in the project ’89 plakate’. The following students from the WdKA designed the posters in images 5 to 7. In image 5: the posters by Koen Evers(l) and Vera Foppele(r), in image 6: Marieke Dekker(l) & Bob Bouwense(r) and in image 7: Chayenne van den Brink(l) & Dionne Lausberg(r).

Koen Evers

theme Freedom

In September 1989, just before the fall of the wall, there was a demonstration in East Berlin. The East Germans shouted “Wir wollen raus wir wollen frei sein”. They didn’t take it anymore and wanted freedom. It is November 9, 1989, the wall has fallen. East can go west again, you can go and stand where you want again, freedom at last! But how free are we in the west when big brands manipulate us and tell us what to eat, drink and wear to be happy and healthy?The wall has fallen and the masses of brand images can now also flood the eastern part of Berlin. The East Germans think they shouted for freedom, because they thought that was on the other side of the wall. What they didn’t know is that they actually shouted for the brand ‘FREI’, for a world in which big brands tell you what to do and not to do instead of the government. The euphoric East Germans walk with open eyes from one power system to another…

Vera Foppele

theme Democracy

Western society tries to introduce democracy in countries like Afghanistan and China, and sees this fail time and time again. What they do not see is that democracy must have a chance to grow, and to take on its own form in that country. After all, no democratic country has the same interpretation of that democracy.Democracy therefore needs time and the will of the population to be able to work. For this reason I made a poster of a seed that grows into a plant. A red pencil grows from this plant: this represents the red pencil that is used during elections (which for me symbolizes democracy).

Marieke Dekker

theme Surveillance

When I started designing for the theme ‘surveillance’ I immediately thought of strict, grumpy men who keep an eye on other people. To see if these people, citizens, say nothing, do nothing or live in a way that is forbidden. Spying on people is important in this theme. So I made a sculpture that at first looks like a sullen face. But when you look closer you discover that it is actually a piece of paper that you can cut out eyes from and spy on people. But before you start cutting and look closer, the cut lines say: do not use after 09.11.1989.

Bob Bouwense

theme Communism

The former Eastern Bloc has undergone a great change since the fall of the wall. I have tried to show this change in my poster. For this I have used the clenched fist, as a symbol for communism.The closed fist, slowly changes into an open hand, as a symbol for freedom. The former communist countries opened their borders and the inhabitants no longer had to be afraid. Being betrayed and the subsequent punishments are now a thing of the past. People can meet each other openly and shake hands in freedom.

Chayenne van den Brink

theme Utopia

Let’s go back to the time (13-08-1961 to 9-11-1989) when every movement was recorded by a camera. Life under a communist regime where no contradiction was tolerated. The ‘air bridge’ (transport of products between West and East by means of airplanes) provided the only possibility of contact with the other side of the wall at that time. What would it be like to escape this terrible reality? How can you easily get to the other side of the wall, whenever you want, without risking your life? At that time still a Utopia, at the moment fortunately the reality.

Dionne Lausberg

theme Capitalism

Although it has been (almost) 20 years since East Germany was incorporated into West Germany, there are still clear differences between East and West. Former East Germans who lived in a communist system for years have difficulty adapting to the sudden capitalism. The scars of communism are still clearly visible. The East is poorer than the West and there is more unemployment in the East. A concept that did not exist in the communist system.I wanted to show this by sewing two different euro notes together. The 20 euro symbolizes the richer West, the 5 euro symbolizes the poorer East. Although these differences will become smaller, there will always be a scar visible.