Last summer two Greek artists created a graffiti in Cologne that was misunderstood. In a neighborhood inhabited by immigrants from Turkey, Italians and the Arab countries Manolis Anastasakis and Vasilis Griparis’ graffiti, named “Proud?” is on a 30 meter wall at the area’s rail station.
It shows a “tsolia”, warrior of the 1821 Revolution against the Ottoman Turks era.

But the graffiti is no more. A local paint seller spread the erroneous rumor that the two Greeks had painted it on top of other artists’ graffiti. As an act of “revenge”, other local graffiti artists they painted over the “tsolia”. However, the truth came out and now the mayor’s office is trying to correct the damaged graffiti…

Nonetheless, this incident helped to come into view a very honest and successful cooperation between graffiti artists from both Greece and Germany like John Even, with no preconceptions or stereotypes. It was the latter who invited the two Greeks to Germany and helped them with their project.
Now, the next meeting will take place at Kallithea, Athens. The Municipality gave permission for five walls to be used and although the cost is almost ten times(!) bigger in Greece than in Germany both sides can’t wait to start working on the new project.