Christoph Frank was born in West Germany. He painted the work “Stay Free” in the East Side Gallery. No more is known about him. The eponymous slogan in the centre of the painting can be interpreted as a political message. The East Side Gallery artist Gabriel Heimler restored Frank’s artwork in 2009.
Frank’s Wall painting “Stay Free” shows a motif, in graffiti art style, that recalls the famous finger-pointing Uncle Sam in James Montgomery Flagg’s picture of 1917, which the US army used to recruit soldiers in the First and Second World Wars. The dominant legend can be seen as a political message to the public or as a comment on the role the United States played in German reunification, while also remaining open to interpretation.