Akim Walta of Germany and other graffiti artists (below) at work on a wall of the German consulate in Calcutta on Friday. Pictures by Arnab Mondal

Half a century after Conrad Schumann’s famous jump across the Berlin Wall from East to West Germany and almost 25 years after the fall of that barrier, the image of that iconic Cold War-era leap found its place on wall graffiti at the German consulate in Calcutta on Friday.

German graffiti writer Akim Walta aka Zebster, Delhi-based Kajal Singh aka Dizy and a group of around 10 youngsters from Calcutta have toiled with spray cans to create the showpiece, which is part of the “2nd International Graphiti and Hip Hop Project”, jointly organised by the German consulate and Hip-Hop Stützpunkt of Berlin.

Hip-Hop Stützpunkt was founded in 2007 by Akim, one of the best graffiti artists in Europe who also fits into the role of a music producer, a historian and an organiser of international hip hop projects. He started dabbling in graffiti in the early 80s. He is currently curating cultural projects in China and India.

The Schumann image, as captured in camera by West German photographer Peter Leibing, occupies one side of the graffiti that has the words “25 years of Berlin” written in the middle. Images of people protesting construction of the Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate adorn the other side.

Schumann was 19 and guarding the wall — then a low barbed-wire fence — on the East German side when people from the other side started urging him to cross over: “Komm rüber (come over)!” He hopped over the fence and was promptly whisked away by the West Germans. Photographer Leibing was at the right place and at the right time to capture an iconic image!

Akim and his team worked from 11.30am to 7pm on Friday to relive a teen’s leap of faith.

The Calcutta crew of the Indo-German initiative comprised students from the Government College of Art and Craft and members of Big Bong Theory Forum, a group of hip hop and graffiti artists.

Dizy, who claims to be India’s first female graffiti artist, has been collaborating with Akim since 2011-12. They had worked in Delhi and Mumbai before.

“I want the government to understand hip hop culture and young people. When we did a similar thing on the German consulate wall in Calcutta in 2011-12, it was an impromptu attempt. This time, we are more focused. I went to the college of art and craft on Thursday and asked the students if they were interested. Some of them turned up today. Our focus is to support local artists… I see a great many talent. They are raw and need to develop their skills,” said Akim.

German consul-general Rainer Schmiedchen said: “Akim is the father of this project. We always try to reach out to the younger generation. It is the 25th year of the fall of the Berlin Wall and we thought it to be a fitting theme for this project. Berlin is just a symbol but this is mainly to create a base between German and Indian youth. The graffiti that was painted outside the consulate last time is like a landmark for us now.”

As he spoke, the idea of a graffiti contest on the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal swirled in his mind. He said so and explained that the initiative could encourage young talents of both countries.

The city artists involved in Friday’s project said they had a wonderful time because, for a change, they were allowed to paint walls.

The bigger incentive for them was the opportunity to work with Akim.

“Akim and I connect over Facebook and Skype. He is wonderful,” said Remille Bargi aka Remzi of Big Bong Theory Forum, who is also a student of animation.

The other woman graffiti artist in the project, Dizy, said: “I have worked with him in Delhi and Mumbai. This is my first time in Calcutta and I love the old-world charm of the city. We graffiti artists have our own network. So, even though I haven’t met the Calcutta artists, I have been in touch with them. Akim is a legendary artist from Germany and he is my biggest inspiration. I am really enjoying myself.”

The boys from the art college took care of the painting part.

“Akim came to our college on Thursday and asked us to join him. Some of us thought it’s a wonderful opportunity and we will get to do something different. We are doing the painting part,” said Ritwik Mondal, a fourth-year student of the college.