Chancellor Drake Introduces Opening of Photography Exhibition on Berlin Wall

Chancellor Michael Drake formally introduced the Oct. 1 official opening of “Ikonen einer Grenzanlage – Icons of a Border Installation,” a traveling photography exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Hosted by UCI’s Department of German and sponsored by the Goethe Institute San Francisco, the exhibition displays images that capture the remnants of the wall in unified Berlin.

In November 2006, a group of 36 media studies students from the University of Paderborn traveled to Berlin to capture the visible and invisible traces of the wall. The exhibition documents their project in 15 large-scale photo panels accompanied by texts and a sound installation. The show is on display at the Student Center until Nov. 2.

In his remarks, the chancellor spoke of his memories of the period in August 1961, when the wall first was constructed, specifically of how this incident of the Cold War was literally brought home when his brother, in reaction, contemplated joining the armed forces. And he described his experiences in the “new Berlin” after his recent visit there. Finally, he praised the power of art, in this case, photography, to remind people of both unpleasant histories and the possibilities of change.

Department of German
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