with Sina Ataeian Dena and Richard Djimeli in conversation with Grada Kilomba.
In the 19th century Alexander von Humboldt held his KOSMOS lectures in the Berlin Singakademie—today's Maxim Gorki Theatre. He brought knowledge from various countries back to Berlin and reported on his trips around the world. During the season 2015/16, with the series KOSMOS² curated by Grada Kilomba, we want to grapple in the course of ten events with issues of knowledge transfer and knowledge production today. Who has access to knowledge and the opportunity to share it, and if so, then what knowledge? Who talks to whom, and about what?
In KOSMOS² artists whose lives have been shaped by fleeing will give lectures. They live in Berlin, but their knowledge cannot find a way into the conventional academic or cultural-institutional spaces for the dissemination of knowledge. We will be opening the series with three events during the Herbstsalon, artists will provide insight into their work. The author, theorist and interdisciplinary artist Grada Kilomba will give an introduction into the topic and moderate the talks.
KOSMOS² LABOR #2: Film
Two film directors discuss their work: Sina Ataeian from Iranand Richard Djimeli from Cameroon. Ataeian was born in the midst of the Iran-Iraq war. After he broke off his physics studies, he began studying art in Tehran. Over three years he shot his first feature film, PARADISE, in Iran without official permission. Djimeli was tortured after the premiere of his film satire about President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 33 years, and forced to leave Cameroon. In 2013 he submitted an application for asylum in Germany, which was recently denied.
Curated by Grada Kilomba. In cooperation with Maxim Gorki Theater.
