A general finding out what home means to photographer peter greste. Beef to me there is something truly magical about a fast food stuff has. Been looking at what the world of office and culture has in store for us in twenty eighteen. But first we look back at twenty seventeen and aughts twenty ones highlights of the in. January set the bar higher with the opening of the old philharmonia in hamburg all the troubles with cost overruns and construction delays were as good as forgotten replaced by genuine excitement and an endless rush of visitors to concerts and the viewing platform. Come out has really reinvented itself as a city of. Berlin is still in the midst of construction in two years the phone is scheduled to open in the newly reconstructed city palace and bring together the cultures of the world and now when we talk about large scale cultural projects we also have to include abu dhabi. Money was no object when architects joy move was commissioned to design the Louvre Abu Dhabi hundreds upon hundreds of loaned items from thirteen french cultural institutions are on display here. The louvre in paris sold the rights to use its name for thirty years for more than one billion euros. Cape towns new museum was much less costly the moc are all museum for contemporary art africa is the first of its kind on the continent. It helps give african artists a confidence boost but it hasnt been without controversy since the people behind it are all white. Everything different that was also the guiding principle behind the fourteenth documenter the worlds most important Art Exhibition took place in two locations in two thousand and seventeen its home of castle and the greek capital athens that was appealing but also quite expensive economically the documenter ended in the red distinctly it remains contentious. A politically motivated double exhibition its main themes were social criticism displacement and the plight of refugees this double documenter insisted that. Current contemporary art can also come from old paul de da tastes the press were divided on the shows merits but more than one Million People flocked to see it in athens and castle. Twenty seventeen was also the year that a young german artist was celebrated imhoff she created work for the german pavilion at the venice be a knowledge that played with power and powerlessness despotism and violence resistance and freedom her impressive five hour performance piece won the be an honest goldline award. Now turning to the men there were two this year who celebrated in is a big way. Twenty seven team marked the five hundredth anniversary of the reformation so this year belong to Martin Luther among theologians skeptics he translated the bible from latin into german then he openly questioned the infallibility of the pope and with his famous ninety five theses he spot the protestant reformation began five hundred years ago in the small city of witan bag old to Germany Europe and the. Numerous events and exhibitions paid tribute to that the Public Interest was. One writer was also talked about in two thousand and seventeen robert manasseh the viennese all therm made Literary History by writing the first novel about the European Union which promptly won him the german book prize once you read it youll understand why. Robert manassas bureaucrats make wonderful fictional characters and he wittily informs readers about political power Games National ensued and the necessity for a peaceful europe its the book of the hour so to speak a literary commentary on twenty seventeen and its political turmoil. The shift to the right in europe. National independence movements. And the strange congers from a saber rattling american commander in chief to an authoritarian turkish president. And all of that was of cost fodder for social media but the biggest topic there was something else. Women began fighting back in october dozens of women came forward accusing phil mogul Harvey Weinstein of Sexual Harassment soon social media was flooded with the hash tag b. Two as women wrote that they too had been sexually assaulted or harassed soon other major figures in the world of film and politics were also implicated before twenty seventeen was through Time Magazine honored the silence breakers hein the me too movement as its person of the year seldom has a past tack and so much to so many. Draws to a close as turbulent as barry kosky. By a lot for me that was the premiere of the year it provided it took to a new look at the walk not biting and sarcastic. At the end of the show well tell you the highlights were specially looking forward to in two thousand and eighty. Five artists stories of people. Forced to flee their countries and of new beginnings a d w special after the escape. Mecca everyone are knows what its like to start over from scratch she was nineteen when she came to germany the child of a german mother and a nigerian father shed had to fight for acceptance in her homeland of nigeria her mother laughed when she was just two so neko grow up with her father and stepmother. Her brother wrote a book that describes how their stepmother tormented and starved them back then naked was forced to do the housework here in hamburg her new home she likes to cook. It was a time when i didnt feel like a stranger here in the beginning you know coming here. Thinking half of my life that was half white and all that stuff. That they call it half caste in our country. Which is in the name for people who are. Starting a new life in germany wasnt easy but make a learn german finished high school and went to university and she discovered her love of music her debut album victim of truth makes darvon soul with reggae and afro beat now thirty six nick has put out four more albums and tours europe in the us. Her songs deal with god and family as well as violence and social injustice in nigeria. In the city of console we meet another musician a hallmark met when he performs its an act of defiance against the wall. Down. With. A member of syrias palestinian minority a half minute survive diaster the bombs and hunger hes written a book about his experiences entitled verdun singham or and the birds will sing in it he describes his sheltered upbringing in what was then a peaceful syria his blind father who made Musical Instruments and his friends in damascus he recounts how the rebellion began the horrors of the war and his dangerous escape to germany. But time and again his music gave his people solace and encouragement and music literally saved a life he played amidst the rubble in the bombed out streets of his neighborhood you tube videos made the pianist of yarmuk world famous. He kept on playing during the gunfights in the ruins of Yarmuk Islamists captured and destroyed this area of damascus. And this is. Me seeing me. Then in twenty fifteen i asked burned his piano and them fled syria he had to leave his wife and two children behind him. Are two of the five artists who tell us their stories in the t. V. Documentary and online special feature after the escape. Sasha astonishing each was born in bosnia but his family fled during the civil war in the early one nine hundred ninety s. In germany he began writing fiction and in twenty four team won the leipzig book fair prize for his novel before the feast. Antonio scar matter left chile following the military coup of nine hundred seventy three he settled in berlin and exile became a major theme in his writing only in one thousand nine hundred nine after the end of the military dictatorship could he return home famous Childrens Book author judith fled nazi germany a mother saved one of her first drawings by packing it in a suitcase. Back to am asked matt a year and a half ago he was able to bring his family from syria to germany. Is a trained music teacher hed never planned to become a professional peronist. Today its too close up for me to play again. With a beautiful friend we will play a song. From. Make it something. Maybe we can change this crazy war going. In late twenty fifteen am was awarded the International Beethoven prize for human rights for his efforts. Believe that its become. The law. We. Only live. In my country. For proofs. Has made peace with our past in nigeria and lets our shannon and her life story through her songs. I hope the first is that means if i do. You turn then. Be part of peoples lives. That touch them. Moved their motive power. In a spiritual way. After the escape but d. W. Multimedia special about people who fled their homelands and rebuilt their lives elsewhere giving others the courage to do the same. Weve got lots more arts and culture for you. Follow us on facebook. The address d. W. Culture. Time now to head to hamburg for an exit mission of work by photographer peter. That explores the aesthetics of the ordinary. Pater b. L. Of rescue isnt searching for subjects that catch the eye photographers from glossy magazines probably wouldnt notice the images he says he spent five years capturing what represents heimat home and came back with thirty thousand pictures. As photographic series is called despite a second time anyone expecting sentimental coziness be disappointed. This is a list the hope mr mine. What im doing is meant to be pessimistic and. Its just to counter this happy clappy feel good stuff that we get otherwise. All we have to do is look around advertising posters its always hard facile Beautiful People if you look at city p. R. Over themselves with loads of inaccurate adjectives that my work is something you actually see its verifiable not something you were led to believe in. At least its a world that appears authentic. Though. Theres nothing slick about as why he doesnt use photoshop hes interested in everyday life takes pictures of places that to many look more like nowhere then somewhere. A decade ago conveyed a very different image of germany and his first series entitled simply heimat. It was full of romantic landscapes the dwarfed people to insignificance. This seeming innocence that the first series has with the landscapes and these tiny figures in the cortex its naturally interrupted by this and other parts of the country we live in theyre run down streets places that we dont go to in hamburg either. This image may be plain but it is a puzzle that inspires the imagination kind of people who live here. And thats a very poetic moment in there for me but all in all this something ironic. And i think this interface between irony and confession and the embrace of something that many. People see as ugly to me theres something truly magical about a fast food stand from this path especially at just over half a fast food stand can also evoke the idea of home his subjects are often found in overlooked places in limbo side streets and backyards far away from the usual sights to seeing. Home can be anywhere. I might add to your mother smiths home always involves memory and experience as a person has had. This part will someday represent home for a few kids theyll remember specific smells the exhaust from the ships hanging in the air and the vegetation and when they somewhere at some point encounter the same smells it will remind them of home and everyone has their own individual sense of home because it is always something that has actually taken a long in memory. Was there in the ongoing and the photographer who studied Political Science and sociology is now working on a new project in hamburgs brand new half in City District the transformation is taking place here that interests him hes intrigued not so much by the before and after but the spaces in between. An artist in search of authenticity. So what awaits us in the year to come. Gives us a sneak preview. To quit his most recent work is barely in bad along the most expensive german t. V. Series ever. The director owes his big breakthrough to a small film run lola run after which he went on to big Budget International productions the film come to cry has won numerous prices throughout his career and now he can award a few to others too and february his head of the jury of the bill an International Film festival of the bell right here on parts sum up lots from berlin to the well has also managed that there choreographer will be a topic of conversation in two thousand and eighteen two. Sasha violence has gained International Renown with her brand of a. G. Which the physical theater. Shes conquered major european stages with her trademark choreographic offer of work frequently brings dumps into dialogue with architecture. The. Sus about says Dance Company is one of the most popular in the world and in twenty eighteen it marks his twenty fifth anniversary will be at the party. The. Big thing in art these days is performance but the question is how far can it go as far as violence against the artists own body will get some answers starting in late april from a major solo show and were well familiar with the artist. No one else has radicalized Performance Art like Marina Abramovitch shes interested in loss memory pain trust what human beings can ensure and want their cake olof. In april the blunders const holler in a bomb will be devoting a major retrospective to this exceptional artist early in his big here but frankford promise is even more art in two thousand and eighteen the city is planning three cultural highlights. An extensive exhibition of works by flemish baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens opens at the steel museum in february. And the t. V. Colleagues will be showing installations by the celebrated South African artist william country. The sherman will host a multimedia show of work by postpunk underground icon john we shall be. So ahead for frankfurt and for venice the tourists throng city where the architecture. No way at the end of may this time the theme is free space. Twenty one is especially looking forward to seeing the german contribution which is being curated by an unusual team politician. And the founding trio of the graft Architectural Firm in berlin. For eleven years money and a bit love was federal commission for the stars the records agency. The graft architects have designed apartment buildings museums bars public buildings and Affordable Housing their common theme in venice is the expiration of limitations of the opening up of the world and the fears that result from isolation and marginalise ation. By the way there then is architect to be an artist at the end of may weve also circled may fifth in our two thousand and eighteen cultural calendars on that day two hundred years ago come on. I was born the legendary the last of the economist and social critic. He was the hero of the Labor Movement in the Nineteenth Century and a passionate critic of bush was society come ups together with his friend treated gangers became the most influential theorists of socialism and communism marx his main concern was the inequality created by capitalism. Its astonishing but true marx foresaw many of the problems we face today can we learn from him its worth reading his works at any rate and marks his bicentennial hes a good occasion for that his birthplace of korea will be honoring him with a major exhibition happy birthday karma its. Two thousand and eighteen also marks a major anniversary for an entire social movement inspired by karl marx the Student Movement whose members are known as the sixty eight generation. These young people protested against conservative social structures the vietnam war repressive sexual morals and the failure to effectively address germanys nazi past thousands of students took to the streets in the events of nine hundred sixty eight came to define an entire generation. This era produced exceptional artists such as sigma halakhah. And joseph boys rebellion and the people change the federal republic of germany because it all for the better for all the sixty eight is responsible for a loss of social values a drop in the birth rate and a crisis in education but the era did produce really great music. Really great lives i wish that for all of us in two thousand and eighteen happy new year. Stay healthy and stay with us so you should. See news on the. Part of god and that brings us to the end of this edition of fox twenty one. Next week we get into the holiday spirit with musicians from germany and ukraine. Till then good bye and elfie does the. Euro max this weeks highlight. And chanting choice delegate ukrainian craftsmanship. Exceptional. Architecture a house that blends with nature in the polish car passing a mountain. Exquisite pastries French Riviera tartlets that melts in your mouth. Your romance in thirty minutes on d w. Losing your home life because of persecution in society. Starting from scratch in an unfamiliar country five people who found a new home in a foreign land. With their stories books and music theyve built bridges to the past and the future. After the escaping starting december seventeenth t. W. Speaks about the moments that lie before. Its all about the stories inside. Its all about George Chance to discover the world from different perspectives. Join us and be inspired by distinctive instagram others at g. W. Stories the two topics each week on instagram. Sustainable protection for the earth ideas designed to preserve our ecosystems they exist around the world. Takes the next step protection for our planets biological diversity trailblazing projects. D w dot com slash global ideals. Meet the germans new and surprising aspects of license culture in germany. Us american keep newsa take a look at germany it is in chrissies at the tradition. Every day lawyers language theres a lot of times on us our. D. W. Dot com beat the germans. This is d w news live from berlin they return all the far right in austria the conservatives struck a Coalition Deal with until immigration freedom handing them control of key ministries europes youngest promises his government will come