Dave Monty
Dave Monty (born 1949 ) is a German painter , action artist and founder of the East Side Gallery .
Life
Dave Monty comes from a middle-class background. He spent part of his childhood and youth in a Swiss boarding school. Tensions with the authoritarian father led to the family break. In 1967 West Berlin became the budding artist's new adopted home. At first he financed his life with odd jobs. He started his artistic career as an autodidact. His actions included performance, painting and cultural events. Dave Monty supported his colleagues in realizing projects. One of the artist's concerns was to be available with experience and to avoid dependencies on gag contracts as far as possible. On August 4, 2004, there was a serious accident in which Dave Monty fractured his neck. As a result, he was paralyzed for two years. With a strong will he counteracted this situation and is today extremely handicapped.
In 2015, during the open days at the Federal Chancellery , he received an invitation to speak next to Ben Wagin, Ms. Nooke and a representative of Gunter Demnig on the subject of the Wall, art and culture. In 2016 he was awarded the district medal of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district of Berlin. His special service to the common good of the district as a source of ideas and founder of the East Side Gallery is honored and recognized. In the same year he laid the foundation for a non-profit association that will promote artists and especially children. The founding members include Dave Monty, Constanze Ehrlich, Paul Gant, Oliver Rath († August 18, 2016), Elisabeth Ehrlich, Florian Anders and Alfons Späth. The association bears the name Dave Monty Creative Factory eV The artist lives in Berlin.
Foundation of the East Side Gallery
From autumn 1989 Dave Monty began his negotiations in East Berlin with the Minister for Culture , Hans-Joachim Hoffmann , and the advisor Wilhelm Ahrens regarding the design of the border wall. As a result, the artist got in touch with the Ministry for National Defense of the GDR and press spokesman Colonel Uwe Hempel. After several meetings, Major Menzel (Grenzanlage Mitte Ostberlin) was ordered to support Dave Monty in his project. At the end of September 1989, the artist received the promise to start his East Side Gallery project.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Monty, Dave |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German painter, action artist and founder of the East Side Gallery |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1949 |