The Leipzig Madonna is not just an impressive work of art or a post-reunification artifact, but also tells a love story. 'As one of the last representatives of the post-reunification period, the painting is now considered to be particularly deserving of protection,' said Merrem. 'But unfortunately hardly any of them are left.'Īll the better for Le Rat's Madonna. 'The southern outskirts of Leipzig were full of wall paintings,' remembered Maxi Kretzschmar.

It's not enough for a work to be recognized as high-quality art, it also should be representative of the time period it comes from. But Le Rat's Madonna was granted protected status in just three months. Typically, only bygone eras are represented on such lists, and it can take a long time for a monument to be chosen. Kretzschmar had the expertise to recognize the value of the graffito Image: Jan Schilling 'That's something of a sensation,' said Annekatrin Merrem from Leipzig's Office for Monument Conservation. In Leipzig, the piece he left behind is now on Saxony's state list of historical monuments. 'Whenever I painted them on the walls, I had the feeling I was leaving a part of myself behind in the cities I visited,' said Le Rat. He is regarded as a pioneer of stenciling, and began with the technique in 1981, long before British undercover stenciler Banksy turned up on the scene. The work, 'Woman with Child,' was created by French artist Xavier Prou, alias Blek le Rat. When she peeled back the paper, it was clear that what was underneath wasn't just amateur scribbling. Now 28 years old, Kretschmar has been professionally involved in the art sector for the past five years, organizing among other projects the Urban Art Festival, IBUg. The posters were torn, revealing the Madonna's head. But over the years, it disappeared beneath layers of posters, and she soon forgot about it - until she walked by the painting again in January 2012. It was painted on a Leipzig apartment building.Īs a young girl in the early 1990s, Kretzschmar was fascinated by the graffiti. For many years, Mazi Kretzschmar passed by the Madonna on her way to school.

Xavier prou blek le rat download