Page 42 - Classics Issue

In order to impose these beliefs, television and radio stations in East Germany were state run. However some western media continued to enter the country through illicit means.As Michael grew up In East Germany, living in a communist world was all he knew. Despite this, he became aware of cultural differences between his home and the rest of the world. This incongruity shaped his young life, and also the attitude he later held towards art.“ Almost everything was controlled as I grew to learn, almost all of the items which we received from the western part of the world such as magazines, toys, soda cans were forbidden in East Berlin. Even Donald Duck was a threat to East Berlin “.In terms of artistic infuences Moebius cites inspiration from a number of sources. These include Italian Renaissance artist Titian and Baroque artist Caravaggio, as well as more contemporary names such as Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. More interestingly though , he cites the illicit nature of the much-loved and closely-guarded consumer goods which reached East Germany from the west.