He who is without sin lift up the first stone 1990

Curator: This is Wolf Vostell’s piece, "He who is without sin lift up the first stone." Editor: It’s immediately striking. The monochrome photo of the Brandenburg Gate, disrupted by that almost violently applied red paint, the crude daubs of black and white. It's aggressively textured. Curator: The title is a clear reference to the biblical story, inviting us to consider themes of judgment, culpability, and historical guilt. That stone seems to hover, a physical manifestation of conscience. Editor: The stark contrast between the photo-based image and the expressive paintwork creates a powerful tension. The gate itself, a symbol of division and reunification, is almost suffocated by the raw emotion conveyed through the paint. The formal elements generate an undeniable sense of unease. Curator: Indeed. Vostell uses the Brandenburg Gate as a potent symbol, layering it with complex ideas about German history and collective responsibility. The superimposed stone implicates the viewer. Editor: It's fascinating how the formal aspects—the textures, the color contrasts—work together to create such a charged atmosphere. The symbolic density is unavoidable. Curator: Precisely. A thought-provoking work that extends far beyond its surface. Editor: One is left contemplating its message long after viewing.