“The Kiss” is a famous painting on Berlin East Side Gallery. The East Side Gallery is an open-air art gallery on the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall– a concrete barrier installed by the German Democratic Republic of East Germany that divided East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. The wall stole the freedom of Berliners and prohibited them from crossing. At least 171 people who attempted to cross over were killed.

Depicted in the painting is Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and the East Germany President Erich Honecker kissing- seemingly quite passionately. The image is based on a real photograph taken in 1979 at an event honouring of the 30th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic of East Germany.

The type of kiss is known as a ‘socialist fraternal kiss’ and is a recognised form of greeting among statesmen of Communist countries; an act that expresses the special connection that exists between Socialist states.

Artist Dmitri Vrubel painted the iconic work when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. In 1990, when erosion required the wall to be renovated, Vrubel was required to redo the painting.

The historical significance of the works’ imagery, as well as the significance of painting on the Berlin Wall itself means the piece is of great cultural significance to Berliner’s.

The piece is perhaps the most famous work featured at the East Side Gallery, with people coming from all over to snap a photo posing (or kissing someone!) in front of it.