Performing arts
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Patriarchy in Pakistan
Pakistani feminist comedians challenge taboos
Against all the odds and despite social barriers, women in Pakistan are using comedy to break gender stereotypes, share personal experiences and challenge patriarchal practices. Mavra Bari reports
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Iran protests 2022
Female film stars show solidarity
In Iran, two famous actresses, Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, were arrested recently. These days anyone who shows solidarity with the protesters is a target to be silenced. By Kevin Tschierse
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Al Qasar’s "Who Are We"
A hard message for a hard world
Welcome to the world of Al Qasar, where Arabic music collides head-on with punk and psychedelic to create something powerful and beautiful. "Who Are We" is a raucous, subversive trip into the urban landscapes inhabited by a new generation of Arabs around the world. By Richard Marcus
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Album review: Imarhan's "Aboogi"
Looking beyond the horizon
"Aboogi", on the City Slang label, is the latest release from Imarhan. Hailing from southern Algeria, Imarhan are one of the many bands that have emerged from the Tameshek diaspora. They see their music as a chance to preserve the culture and history of their people. By Richard Marcus
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Mohamed Abla awarded Goethe Medal
Telling stories through art
Mohamed Abla is the first visual artist from Egypt to be awarded the Goethe-Institut’s Goethe Medal, Germany’s highest honour in the area of foreign cultural policy. Stefan Weidner sheds some light on the artist’s work
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Cem Kaya on Turkish pop culture
As multi-faceted as Asia Minor
Known for his documentary films about Turkish pop culture, German-born director Cem Kaya's latest work "Liebe, D-Mark und Tod" (Love, Deutschmarks and Death) focuses on the musical culture of Turkish migrants in Germany. He talks to Schayan Riaz about his creative processes, German-Turkish relations and of course, about the music
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Denmark's new "Flugt" Museum
Flight has a million faces
"Flugt" is the world's first museum dedicated to the stories of those forced to flee. The new museum, which focuses on the fates of refugees then and now, is housed in a former camp for German war refugees on the west coast of Denmark. By Oliver Ristau
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Behind the veil
The double life of Pakistan rapper Eva B
Pakistan's breakthrough rapper Eva B has racked up millions of views online, but walking through the labyrinthine streets of her Karachi neighbourhood, she is anonymous. Her hair covered with a hijab and a veil falling below her eyes, she evades the attention of fans and detractors
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Reem Kelani's "The Singer Said: Bird of Dawn"
Homage to the grand master of Persian music
Singer-songwriter Reem Kelani's latest release – "The Singer Said: Bird of Dawn" – pays tribute to Mohammad Reza Shajarian. The two-song EP features Kelani's unique take on a famous Shajarian anthem and a second track symbolic of the iconic Iranian singer's life. By Richard Marcus
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60 years German-Turkish Recruitment Agreement
German-Turks take the arts by storm
Since the Labour Recruitment Agreement in 1961, Germany has become a second homeland for many people of Turkish origin. Not only have they become an important element of German society, they have also helped influence and shape the German arts scene quite considerably. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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"Naga (Part II)" by Flèche Love
The triumph of love and life over pain
"Naga (Part II)", on L-abe records, is the latest release from Swiss-Algerian performance artist Flèche Love (Amina Cadelli). Richard Marcus listened to the album and was struck by its emotional and intellectual honesty
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Haifa's Holiday of Holidays
The festival where everyone is welcome
Haifa is known for being Israel’s exemplary model of relative harmony between Jewish and Palestinian citizens. Its unique "Holiday of Holidays" is a joyous, multicultural event that has become a major player in domestic tourism. After a two-year break due to the pandemic, Noam Yatsiv writes from this year's festival