Kani Alavi
Kani Alavi, born in 1955 in Lahidjan (northern Persia), moved to Berlin in 1980. Here he began a study of free arts with Prof. Klaus Fussmann at the University of Arts in Berlin. In 1986 he became a master student of Prof. Klaus Fussmann.
In 1990 he was one of the artists who painted the parts of the Berlin Wall, later known as East Side Gallery. In 2001 wall segments, painted by him were handed over to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan by Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse. In 2002, the segments were placed in UN Sculpture Garden in New York.
In 2011, Kani Alavi was honored for his great commitment for the development, the preservation and reconstruction of the largest open-air gallery in the world (East Side Gallery Berlin) with the Medal of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2013, the demolition of part of the wall art began. In protest against the further demolition of the East Side Gallery Alavi announced the return of the award to the Federal President.
