Arts.21: The Cultural Magazine

The OFF-Biennale is a curatorial collective made of six women based in Budapest. They work with other creatives and institutions in Hungary, Eastern Europe, and around the world without any state cultural funding.

Just over two million people live in Slovenia. The small country, once part of federal Yugoslavia, is still haunted by its communist past. But its landscapes are beautiful and calm, and its literary scene has many strong voices.

Writer Salman Rushdie is a passionate defender of freedom of thought, but that has come at a high price. Iran's Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against the author in 1989, and in 2022, Rushdie survived an attempt on his life. DW sat down with the award-winning writer.

Architect Lesley Lokko is a Black woman working in a field dominated by white men. But she hasn't let that hold her back, and she's now curator at the Venice Architecture Biennale, focusing on Africa and ecology.

How do you make an anti-war film without glorifying the slaughter with action sequences? The remake of "All Quiet on the Western Front", based on Remarque's book, shows one way. It was crowned with four Oscars, more than any previous German production.

Studio Drift simulates a flock of birds with illuminated drones sent up into the sky — with the help of AI. The result is beautifully intimidating. The artist duo is currently visualizing the unimaginably complex processing power of quantum computers — as a tree.

What used to take artists hours can be wrapped up in a matter of seconds with artificial intelligence. At the Berlin University of the Arts, students learn about "Artificial Creativity" — and the opportunities and risks attached to current digital technologies.

"Hello, Robot." An exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum showcases intelligent machines that not only resemble us, they're also more capable than we are. Will they one day start feeling emotion – and express it in art? A fascinating, if scary idea!

To some, heavy metal sounds harsh and the stage shows are intimidating. But a study found that death metal fans are often peaceful, happy people. Why? We visit the heavy metal festival in Wacken to find out.

Ennio Morricone's film scores elevated “spaghetti westerns” to cult status. Soundtracks to “Once Upon a Time in the West” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” are iconic. Now, his music is being performed live on stage.

Indian artist Dayanita Singh has been breaking ground in photography since the 1980s. She rearranges her photos again and again to forge new connections between people and places, creating a moving portrait of Indian society. "Dancing With My Camera” is the title of her current exhibition.

A polyphonic story about Turkish immigrants, their children, dreams, trauma, and six fundamentally different people who happen to be related.

It's time to dance: At the "Colombian Night," Arts.21 meets enthusiastic young people for whom music means a new perspective on life. A highlight from the "Next Generation" concert series.

Oxxxymiron, aka Miron Yanovich Fyodorov, is one of Russia's best-known hip hop artists. He canceled his tour of Russia to protest of Putin's war of aggression in Ukraine, and is calling on Russians and Ukrainians to stand together for peace.

Known as 'dizi', Turkish TV series are breaking ratings records all over the world - from Pakistan to Chile. DW talks to actors, producers and fans to find out what makes them so successful.

Red ski masks are their trademark. In Santiago de Chile, the Baila Capucha Baila dance collective has taken the fight against patriarchy and injustice to the streets. They aim to empower more women to speak out against sexual violence.

Manuel Liñán of Spain is widely acclaimed as one of the best flamenco dancers on stage today. In his show Viva!, he and his cast of male dancers defy gender roles for an exuberant celebration of an old tradition.

Lia Rodrigues wants to launch a revolution with dance. She founded an arts and culture center in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, and trains dancers at no cost. Her award-winning Companhia de Danças is inspired by a vision of a better future.

Antje Rávik Strubel's novel about power and powerlessness tells the story of a young woman from the Czech Republic who struggles to reclaim her life after being raped, weaving together various fates and narrative layers.

An actor wrestles with his past. A profound novel about a man trying to preserve a sense of agency over his life, which becomes even more complex in the midst of difficult questions like, what is guilt? And what is fate?

The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's most important meeting place for the book industry. It's once again taking place in the real world after last year's event was held online due to the pandemic. But can organizers and visitors go back to normal?

Making music together across cultural boundaries: that's the idea behind the youth exchange project Campus. On its 20th anniversary, young musicians from all over Europe are invited to participate in the Beethovenfest in Bonn.

Her photos of Angela Merkel are iconic. French photographer Laurence Chaperon has been portraying celebrities from politics and society for decades, looking behind the scenes of power - and combining aesthetics with political messages.

The thematic spectrum of 'Tanz im August' ranges from shamanic rituals to the African diaspora to anti-consumerism. The festival takes place in Berlin for the 33rd time — in some unusual places, with surprising performances and over 100 artists.

Arab and Israeli musicians have been playing together harmoniously in this orchestra since 1999, although their home countries are embroiled in a seemingly endless conflict: The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra as a guest at the Rheingau Music Festival.

Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal don't tear things down. They restore buildings sustainably with surprisingly modest means, while meeting the needs of residents. Their socially and ecologically conscious work won them the 2021 Pritzer Prize.

With Vietnam, war entered the living room via our televisions for the first time. The images ranged from real footage to propaganda. Films like "Coming Home" or "Born on the Fourth of July" depict the war's fallen heroes and traumatized veterans.

Women are typically cast to play widows, mothers, wives, and nurses in this male-dominated film genre. But there are examples of other roles, and more women may soon be 'taking up arms' for Hollywood.

Award-winning German architect Anna Heringer’s vision is to improve the world with architecture. She uses natural construction materials and is causing a worldwide sensation with her earthen buildings.

Berlin's colorful, diverse, queer culture attracts many people of Jewish faith — especially from Israel. They often belong to the third generation of Holocaust survivors. How do they deal with trauma?

A rabbi who defies clichés and a film that shakes things up. The new Jewish generation in Germany is quick-witted and self-confident. They're putting an end to a culture of remembrance that fails to embrace the present.

Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra has definitely got rhythm. She’s rehearsing film music from her native country with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. In the process, she’s found out what drumming & badminton have to do with each other.   

For over a year now, “DW Classical Music” on YouTube has delighted classical musical fans from all over the world. With both short clips and in-depth documentaries, viewers can experience stunning moments with award-winning musicians thanks to DW. 

A year after her beloved project "Mozart y Mambo”, Sarah Willis took another trip to Cuba. A currency reform and the corona pandemic have meant difficult times for the Cuban people. But Mozart and Salsa are helping musicians through the crisis.

House concerts and absence from the stage. Acclaimed jazz trumpeter Till Brönner is one of many artists who have been affected. Instead of relaxed rhythms he’s now striking sharp chords, as a mouthpiece of the cultural scene. A conversation.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, also known as the Pastoral, has inspired artists the world over. DW travels to India, where film composer and Grammy winner Ricky Kej uses unconventional musical projects to advocate for environmental protection.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is the most important event in the international book industry. The 2020 fair will take place online, leaving the event’s large halls empty. How will that work? Arts.21 interviews the fair’s director Juergen Boos.

The scientist Ruweida Aljabali helps refugees, Luka Mukavele teaches African music, and the artist Farzane Vaziritabar draws Nietzsche cartoons. Today’s Weimar is creative and international!

Whether building bridges between Latin America and Europe, or between modern Bolivia and its indigenous history — Elvira Espejo Ayca is in her element. Her road to becoming an artist, author, musician and weaver was long and stony.

South African writer and publisher Zukiswa Wanner is a savvy networker. During the lockdown in Nairobi, she started a pan-African literary festival. She's a citizen of the world and a role model for an entire generation.

There are no swarms of tourists in Venice this year. Large cultural events like the Architecture Biennale have been cancelled, and there is no sign of ocean liners or cruise ships. This unusual stillness is giving Venice a chance to enjoy itself as the fish return to the canals.

Bergen is the rainiest town in Europe. Is that why it has brought forth so many famous writers? Tomas Espedal is from there; Karl Ove Knausgård, his most famous student, spent years there. We visit Norway, the special guest at the Frankfurt Book Fair.