My University in Leicester, UK, is hosting a one-week event called Cultural Exchanges (10th anniversary). There are workshops, readings and performances of renowned artists and celebrities. Something I wouldn’t want to miss.
It started off with the reviewer’s perspective of Guardian theatrical reviewer Michael Billington. Very inspiring. He can use the word “hell” in non-blasphemous ways; his choice of words is immaculate.
Not exactly, it was Gabi Reuter’s ‘performing arts’ performance with three partners. Such an honour to see the world premier of “Tourist”. Especially since she works internationally, currently in Nottingham and Berlin (my hometown again, we’re everywhere).
Her show, presented by the international dance centre Dance4, is an abstract tourist experience with alien languages, slow motion and cunning themes. I overheard a visitor saying, “It’s abstract, so don’t put any meaning into it.” Some younger performing arts students didn’t quite get that and thus were disappointed, saying reluctantly, “I didn’t understand it.” Personally, I thought it was a truly artistic view on a tourist feeling misplaced.
Others were also fond of the interpretation. The start was strange and dreary with its total sound eradication whereby it was easier to focus on someone’s stomach growling (not mine). Quickly it became clear that the introduction was necessary to get the feeling for the abstract world, otherwise the alien language with only a slight resonance similar to English would have felt out of place. After the comical insertion of props such as a sky-diver’s outfit, a ranger’s costume and the recurring sliding-into-the-scene alpinist, the presentation became more interactive; then finally with the play on voices, sounds and indiscernible objects it turned into entertainment.
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| www.geograph.org.uk |
The rest of the week will include events such as creative writing presentations, a romantic-comedy conference and what I anticipate the most, a 60x60 concert, meaning that 60 composers from around the world each play for 60 seconds either electro acoustic or sonic art music.
Find more on Cultural Exchanges on: demoncrewreview.blogspot.com/
New, special, second year. This blog is back on track and will be updated regularly from now on again. Sommer is over. Back to Uni, that's how it works.
But I don't only want to post regular work. It's about the whole experience. So here's the deal. My summer has turned out so successful that I won't be going back to Leicester by plane. Instead, I am going to take a roundtrip through Europe. One week from Berlin to England. On the way, I will stop in Leipzig, Frankfurt/Main, Brügge, London, and who knows where else. It's gonna be as spontaneous as I like. And I do like spontaneity.
I want to invite everybody to follow this exciting trip. See what happens. Watch through my eyes. And be excited about whether I'll ever gonna make it. I'm riding my new bike, Yamaha FZ6 Fazer! It's dangerous, it's hard, and most of all, it's a hell lot of fun. Pictures will go online every day and a review about the experience as well. Follow me, if you're interested in cities, histories, adventure and myself (... ;-)
If you want to know how my summer went, keep reading:
When curator Michael McMillan confronted his audience on Monday (01/03/10) at Leicester’s Cultural eXchanges event with the idea that the front room reflects the respectability of house owners, I thought that is exactly what should be on the agenda of De Montfort University’s services.
Apparently, the Caribbean immigrants of the 50s and 60s had to sell themselves to the outside world to gain acceptance. From my experience, some students do not even remotely understand what that means.
Front ro
oms are the only public spaces in the privacy of our homes. Caribbean immigrants used fancy photos, religious paintings such as the last supper or expensive new acquirements to express their morality and decency. Student’s homes that I have seen in Leicester or in various other places around the world do not explicitly earn that respectability.
As a German international student, it is awkward at first to see British streets with identical terraced houses – I can absolutely relate to the impression those immigrants had. At least they made the inside representational of their individuality.
Students, on the other hand, often leave their rooms completely unattended – no matter whether that concerns cleanness, inventory or elegancy. They all resemble each other.
I think a proper introduction in “the front room - my soul, my sin” at Universities could help. For my house next year, I will keep McMillan’s advice in mind: “If you and your front room look good, you will be respected.”
More about-> The Front Room
