A Slice of Berlin in New York

by Natalie Hegert

For a real slice of graffiti history (and history history) a few blocks away from MoMA you can find a literal slice of the Berlin Wall.  Situated in the courtyard of 520 Madison, this segment of the famous division between East and West was painted by artists Thierry Noir and Kiddy Citny circa 1984.  The wall is now divided and placed out of context, but the graffiti stands as a testament for the transformative power of art over symbols of authority and political repression.