Q.  Did God create people so wicked and perverse?

A.  No.  God created them good and in his own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that they might truly know God their creator, love him with all their heart, and live with him in eternal happiness for his praise and glory.

Q.  Then where does this corrupt human nature come from?

A.  From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise.  This fall has so poisoned our nature that we are born sinners - corrupt from conception on. 

Q.  But are we so corrupt that we are totally unable to do any good and inclined toward all evil?

A.  Yes, unless we are born again, by the Spirit of God. 

This set of questions deal with the sharp reality of the brokenness of this world.  I believe it was G.K. Chesterton who stated that the sin - our depravity - is the only scientifically verifiable doctrine.  We all recognize that the world is "not the way it is supposed to be (a title of Calvin Seminary president Neal Plantinga's classic work on sin).  We know it globally as we hear of wars and rumors of wars; we know it as we hear of the human destruction caused by earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters.  We know it personally as well - unfulfilled desires at work, relationships broken and distorted, families torn apart.  (Just survey the headlines briefly to get a sense of the brokenness of the world: http://news.bbc.co.uk.)

Living in such a broken world begs the question asked in this Q&A:  Did God create people (and the world) so wicked and perverse?  No.  God created them good...  

When we get a sense of the "goodness" of God's creation and then realize the vast gap between the created "goodness" and the way things really are a deep sense of longing should rise up within us.  The Contemporary Testimony (a contemporary statement of faith of the Christian Reformed Church) captures this tension of celebrating the goodness of creation and yet living in the brokenness.

"We rejoice in the goodness of God, renounce the works of darkness, and dedicate ourselves to holy living. ... With tempered impatience, eager to see injustice ended, we expect the Day of the Lord.  And we are confident that the light which shines in the present darkness will fill the earth when Christ appears.  Come, Lord Jesus!"  

And later in the Testimony: With the whole creation we wait for the purifying fire of judgment.  For then we will see the Lord face to face.  He will heal our hurts, end our wars, and make the crooked straight.  Then we will join in the new song to the Lamb without blemish who made us a kingdom and priests.  God will be all in all, righteousness and peace will flourish, everything will be made new, and every eye will see at last that our world belongs to God!  Hallelujah!  Come, Lord Jesus."

An interesting exercise to capture this sense of the created goodness, the corruption caused by sin, and the future wholeness established by the work of Jesus is to read the first two chapters of the Bible (Genesis 1 - 2) and reflect on the goodness of creation.  Afterwards, read the third chapter (Genesis 3) and reflect on the ramifications of sin on all of creation.  And then turn to the last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21 - 22) and contemplate the restored and glorified creation because of the redemption brought in Jesus Christ!

Praise be to God.

After the castle, we walked down to the cathedral nearby, Heiliggeistkirche. The inside of the church appeared to have been restored/rennovated. Only a few pieces of the original wall remained, most likely due to the engravings they contained. After spending a few minutes in the church taking pictures and pausing for a short prayer, I joined a group of people outside to look at some of the booths set up around the church. With the booths being tourist-y stuff, we opted instead to grab some food. We find this cafe close to where we need to get back on the bus, with like 45 minutes until departure. It took 30-40 minutes for everyone to get their food, so we all scrambled to eat and pay in time. I got this really good potato soup, and someone else in the group got an amazing apple tort with homemade vanilla Eis.

Managing to finish lunch on time, we caught the bus to head towards our next destination: Erbach. Erbach is a small town, an hour or so from Heidelberg. Our purpose for the trip, though, was to visit the annual Wiesenmarkt festival. The festival itself is much smaller than Oktoberfest, but still has 500,000+ visitors per year. Having been to the State Fair of Texas though, it seemed like just another fair. It was really just a lot of booths selling random goods, food and beer booths, carnival rides, and other common features to festivals back in the States. Had an Erbacher beer just to try the local brew, though it tasted like any other Pilsner to me. As a group of us left the festival, we saw this really cool one-man-band. Since ther group of us left the festival an hour and a half early, we wandered around by the town palace/castle. Eventually, it was time to depart, concluding the excursion.

Notes:

• Terms/Places page updated
• I can't remember what everyone wanted me to bring back, so if you want something, comment or e-mail me. If I don't have it in writing, you might not get it.

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http://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/zwischenruf/:Zwischenruf-Der-Armuts-Wahn/631474.html

Thank god it's friday ... that's where you can find me ... Enjoy your weekend!

http://www.deep-club.de/location.html

Dieses tolle Plakat hängt unter anderem auch im Wissenschaftlich Theologischen Seminar in Heidelberg. Wie billig bitte ist das denn? Ich schwanke zwischen "mir fehlen die Worte" und zu vielen Worten.

... aber andererseits, wer immer ordentlich seine Vorlesungen verpennt, wird wohl auch nicht mehr wollen, als Kaffee und Schnitzel. Und das obwohl Kaffee gar nicht so unpolitisch ist - Fair Trade wäre ein Stichwort. Aber 1Euro kennt man ja schon von der Disco.

Für die nächsten Wahlen schlage ich dann noch eine Pendlerpauschale und einen Wet T-Shirt Contest mit Freibier vor.

PROF WALTER VEITH LECTURES IN HEIDELBERG

Professor Walter J Veith obtained his doctorate in Zoology from the University of Cape Town in 1979. While senior lecturer in Zoology at the University of Stellenbosch from 1979-1987, he made important discoveries concerning the origin of life and the theories of evolution and creation [apparently not important enough to stun the legit scientific community]. Retired professor from the University of the Western Cape, Dr Veith is one of the few scientists who believes that the theory of evolution does not provide a plausible explanation of our origins [hey, not all scientists can be smart]. Dr Veith's research has led him to the discovery that archeology, history and world events prove the Bible to be true, turning him from an atheistic evolutionists to a Christian creationist [gods I wish I could get him and that schmuck Richard Dawkins into the same room - poetry]. In the last 20 years, Dr Walter Veith has lectured internationally to large and enthusiastic crowds [drunk naturally] in Europe, Africa, Canada and North America on the creation/evolution question, diet and disease, and Biblical truths. Dr Veith will be lecturing in Heidelberg Town Hall from 21 to 27 July. Come and listen to this world renowned speaker.

I might actually go, if just for the farce of it.

Kamila had a walking tour map of Heidelberg that had all the main sights, so we followed that. The main sights seemed to be the castle, shoe stores aplenty and Americans galore. As a representative destination for the fine republic of Germany, it is a woofer. (Tell us what you really think!) It seems like it would be a nice enough place to reside, though, except for all the tourists- it has a thriving university and it’s part of this triangle with Ludwigshafen and Mannheim (those jaw dropping metropolises.) I’m currently on the hunt for used book stores, and we passed some in Heidelberg. There was this book that *maybe* I should have purchased called “When Grandma Stabbed Grandpa: Horrifying tales from German newspapers of the 19^th century”. And of course, it was illustrated. The castle was alright, there were sheep nearby, which was a plus. Everything I want to see has huge façade-ruining scaffolding, and this included Heidelberg Castle. I think no castle ruin will ever compare to the one in Donaustauf, though I did see one from the car on the way to my paid science mission to Kaiserslautern. The big highlight of Heidelberg was going to see the house that Hilde Domin lived in until the end of her life. All I had was the name of the street and the passage: “The golden rooster atop the tower of St. Peter’s, seemingly at eye-level, shows us the direction of the wind. We can hear the mood at the university, just within earshot. But we are always in range of the three sets of bells: the Jesuits’, St. Peter’s, and those of Holy Ghost.” Stephanie and Kamila were good sports and let me lead them blindly along this road until we spotted a crowd of older women crowded around a woman reading from a paper. I didn’t really expect that it was a tourist attraction, because I had a shit time finding any information about it, but when we got closer, I recognized the passage that she was reading. So I kind of waddled up to this really friendly looking woman on the fringe and asked her if this was where Hilde Domin had lived, and she interrupted me to answer in the affirmative with significant dorky excitement. After that, I don’t think that much happened.

On Speyer:

We went to Speyer because they were having a pretzel festival (Speyerer Brezelfest). So that was awesome. I went in a group of nine, which inspired much slow walking and thus whining on my part. We saw a little bit of Speyer, including the Dom (including construction) on the walk from the train station, and then went to the fairground/midway type area. Giant wursts and giant pretzels were had. And we saw this bizarre sculpture that clearly represented some medieval event, but looked like a guy trying to steal a crown from a dog while his buddy took a picture with his camera phone. We soon retreated to the main street for the parade! It was about two hours long, with 101 floats- some awesome, some crappy (like dance troupes who weren’t dancing, wtf?) I bought a sweet mini-flag with the festival logo on it. There were just pretzels attached to every float whenever possible, so that was great. Maybe 5-10 floats were actually throwing pretzels into the crowd. We also received a bunch of carrots and a bunch of radishes thrown from floats. Ah, Germany. I took pictures of the tractors for Dad. I guess I’ll have to make a photostream or something, I took a lot of photos. I think the best part of the fest for me was that it ended in a beer tent. There was a band and they stopped to give out awards to the teams that won the sports competitions held in conjunction with the fest, and there were even beer tent chants, which made me feel oddly at home. In the sense of my German “home” being in Regensburg. But alas, it was over too soon. I should start looking up supplementary fest dates posthaste.

On Monday I went to Kaiserslautern for work, that was fun. It made me think that I might someday want to work at an “institute”- one of these small research organizations that’s not really academic but might be funded partially by an academic department as well as grants, etc. You know, like the cheese institute…Anyway, as part of my crash course in “working in industry” I got a free lunch in Kaiserslautern. Egg noodles with grilled veggies and cheese sauce. CAMEMBERT cheese sauce. It was unparalleled. When I told Dad about the trip, it jogged his memory that the German side of the family is from the Pfalz, so this weekend I will likely go ancestor-hunting in Wachenheim.

At the moment I’m planning all of my excursions so I don’t lose track of time and not do them. Mostly finalized list:

-Two visits to Munich: one normal, one Oktoberfest

-Weekend to Cologne for history tour about authors, including Hilde Domin.

-Weekend to Stuttgart for fun-havings, possibly to include zoo and/or mineral baths.

-3 or 4 days in Paris, including day trip to Omaha Beach

-4 hour pointless journey through Black Forest via the most scenic rail section in ze Deutschland. Possible marginally-pointful continuation to Zurich.

Today I bought Günter Grass’ autobiography, Peeling the Onion/Beim Häuten der Zwiebel. And mailed a postcard to Greg. Those were my big accomplishments. Planned big accomplishment for tomorrow: Getting that pesky residence permit. [ETA: I went to the alien registration office. I don't want to talk about it.]

I went to special lengths to get good photos for y'all, and now wordpress won't let me upload them, which is annoying because they don't support batch uploads the way Vox did anyway. *pout*

Kurzbiografie mit den wichtigsten künstlerischen Stationen

Wann und wo wurdest du geboren, Ruben ?

1964 im wunderbaren Heidelberg.

Bist du künstlerisch durch deine Familie vorbelastet?

Durchaus. Meine Großmutter war Opernsängerin und hat viel am Theater gearbeitet. Meine Verwandtschaft in den USA weist zurück auf einen gewissen Irving Thalberg , dem Stifter des Thalberg Awards für Filmproduzenten der Oscar Academy. Mit einer anderen Verwandten und Malerin in New York habe ich die Basics der Ölmalerei studiert. Das war noch während meiner Schulzeit. Danach habe ich dann in Heidelberg die Matura gemacht.

Wann hast du dich entschieden, dein Leben der Kunst zu widmen?

Mit meiner Hochbegabung (Mitglied von MENSA International ) hätte ich alles machen können. Aber merkwürdigerweise war es die Kunst, die einem unruhigen und freien Geist die meiste Entfaltung bot. Kunst kommt auch eher von einem „Müssen“, denn von einem „Wollen“, d. h. sie ist mehr Berufung als Beruf. Von daher war es auch weiniger ein Zeitpunkt, zu dem ich mich entscheiden musste, sondern eher ein Weg, ein Lebenspfad. Ich nehme mal an, dass ich gerade wegen meines autonomen Denkens in einem anderen Beruf auch nicht klar gekommen wäre.

Was war deine Motivation?

Viel Geld und viel Sex (lol)… nein ernsthaft…Wenn es um Dinge geht, die getan werden müssen, fragt man weniger nach den Gründen. Es gibt ja mitunter ganz komische Motivationen für Kunst, z.B. auch die politische. Aber das hat meines Erachtens gar nichts mit der Qualität der artworks zu tun, die man produziert. Im Umkehrschluß bedeutet dies, dass ich rein gar nichts von artworks halte, die nur politische Statements illustrieren (Kitsch). Noch ermüdender sind Künstler, die dem Betrachter politische Statements aufzwingen wollen.

Was waren damals deine Vorstellungen, wie dein Künstlerleben aussehen könnte?

Wie Beuys auch, hatte ich vor, mich in einen Bulldozer zu setzen, und zu allererst einmal die Mauern des Frankfurter Rathauses einzureißen, d.h. Zeichen setzen, Aufmerksamkeit erregen etc. Da ich aber mehr zu der introvertierten Fraktion tendiere, lag mir letztlich wenig an solchen Äußerlichkeiten. Als nicht-darstellender Künstler steht man auch nicht so im Rampenlicht wie z.B. die Kollegen von der Schauspielerei, seien es nun A, B oder C Promis.

Was waren in deinem Leben die wichtigsten künstlerischen Stationen inhaltlich wie regional?

Rein geographisch spielte sich bei mir viel im Spannungsfeld Israel, USA, Europa ab, d.h. das waren bzw. sind bis auf wenige Ausnahmen meine bevorzugten Orte der Inspiration. Regional gesehen hatte ich lange Zeit ein Atelier in Frankfurt, dass ich mir mit einem älteren Künstlerkollegen teilte und von der Stadt Frankfurt gefördert war. Irgendwann wurde auch das zu klein, und ich sah mich auf der anderen Seite des Mains um, genauer gesagt in der „Kreativ-Stadt“ Offenbach.

Thematisch hatte ich mich in der Vergangenheit länger mit dem Holocaust auseinandergesetzt, u. a. mit der Frage, ob eine künstlerische Produktion nach Auschwitz überhaupt noch möglich ist. Dann beschäftigten mich Fragen, die viel mit antagonistischen Begriffspaaren zu tun haben wie Gut – Böse, Schönheit – Wahrheit, Bewusstsein – Unbewusstsein, Symmetrie – Asymmetrie, Eros & Thanathos (Liebe & Tod), Wahn & Gesellschaft, Alchemie & Wissenschaft etc. Zu den wichtigen Komplexen wurden begleitend zu den jeweiligen Ausstellungen auch Kataloge publiziert, zu beziehen über amazon.de , sofern noch nicht vergriffen.

Wieso sollte eine künstlerische Produktion nach Auschwitz nicht mehr möglich sein?

Das Leid, die Folter, der Massenmord an Millionen meiner Glaubensbrüder ist nicht nur in unserem kollektiven Gedächtnis eingebrannt. Das Unsagbare, das Unfassbare, der Holocaust ist geschehen und kann weder vergessen noch vergeben werden. G’tt hat in dieser Hinsicht total versagt und ist für mich seitdem auch nicht mehr existent. Wo aber G’tt nicht mehr existiert, existiert auch kein Glaube mehr, keine Liebe und Hoffnung. Was übrig bleibt, ist Leere und eine graue Wüste. Ein ewiges Exil, in dem ich mich gerade bewege.

Gab es wesentliche künstlerische Umbrüche in deiner Laufbahn?

Dazu kann ich nur sagen, dass der Weg des Künstlers extrem hart und steinig ist, d.h. mir wurde trotz meiner Herkunft und Hochbegabung nichts geschenkt. Mein Studium hatte ich mir bereits durch den Verkauf meiner artworks finanziert. Im Rückblick kann ich nur sagen, ich kann niemand raten, diesen doch mitunter einsamen Weg der Kunst zu gehen.

Wenn du heute zurückschaust auf deine Laufbahn, deckt sich dein Weg dann mit deinen damaligen Vorstellungen davon?

Ich würde sagen, es ist so wie die Ehe mit einer Hure. Man hat zwar gewisse illusorische Erwartungen, aber man weiss nie, wohin sie einen treibt, wo letztlich alles endet. Somit kommt es praktisch nie zur einer vollen Kongruenz von Erwartung und Realität. Sowie es auch praktisch nie zu einer völligen Kongruenz von Imagination und Realisierung von artworks kommt. Es kommt immer wieder zu Rissen, Brüchen, Asymmetrien, die aber ihrerseits als Ausgangspunkte für neue artworks dienen können. In gewissem Sinn kann man auch von dem Versuch einer Aneignung sprechen, die aber letztlich nie ganz gelingt. Mitunter wird der Künstler auch zur Hure seiner eigenen Kunst. Das ist eine Gratwanderung auf des Schwertes Spitze.

Was ist anders gekommen als du dachtest? Welche Illusionen musstest du aufgeben?

Letztlich hat mir der Erfolg recht gegeben im Sinne einer selbsterfüllenden Prophezeiung. Wie zuletzt das Auktionsresultat bei Ketterer-Kunst in Hamburg . Wie auch diese einzigartige Atelier – Location, die TALBERG FACTORY in Offenbach, in der ich meine artworks der interessierten Öffentlichkeit präsentieren kann. Die Atelier-Situation ist absolut elementar für die künstlerische Produktion!

Die Schattenseite des Erfolgs bilden hier die Neider, Missgünstigen und Zukurzgekommenen, die sich ebenso - scheinbar einem Naturgesetz folgend - wie die Fliegen vermehren. In den USA oder Israel habe ich das nicht so krass erlebt. Das war übrigens auch eine der Illusionen, die ich hatte: Dass man durchs Leben gehen kann, ohne angefeindet oder mit hasserfüllten Blicken betrachtet zu werden. Ganz ohne Antisemitismus geht es eben doch nicht! Am Ende hatte ich nur Glück, in Tel-Aviv nicht von einem Hamas-Selbstmord-Attentäter in die Luft gesprengt worden zu sein! Mazel-tov!

Ruben Talberg über die Kunst

Was ist Kunst für dich?

Einer meiner jüngsten Werk-Zyklen trägt den Titel "Malchut “, was auf hebräisch in etwa „Königreich“ oder „Herrschaft“ bedeutet. Es handelt sich um eines der Schlüsselworte der jüdischen Mystik . So sehe ich mich in diesem Zusammenhang als Medium, welches sein künstlerisches Werk auf Erden schafft, sein persönliches Königreich. So hat Kunst für mich letztlich eine alchemistische Funktion, und zwar den „philosophischen Stein der Weisen“ zu finden. D.h. aber auch Transformation, beständige Umformung und Metamorphose von Material, Zeit und Raum. Und im Sinne einer ewigen Wiederkehr des Gleichen (die Schlange, die sich selbst in den Schwanz beißt) formt man nicht zuletzt auch sich selbst um.

Könntest du dir ein Leben ohne die Kunst vorstellen?

Definitiv NO. Wie ich kürzlich in einem FAZ – Artikel („Malend im Exil“) gesagt habe, treibt mich ein archäologisches Interesse, jenseits der ideologischen Inhalte von Mythen und Alchemie nach den Formen und der Zeichensprache, nach den verdeckten Schichten im kulturellen Gedächtnis verschiedener Völker zu forschen. Das alles umfasst Kunst. Und noch viel mehr.

Bist du jemals zufrieden mit deinen Werken?

Es kommt tatsächlich vor, dass mich eine gewisse Form der künstlerischen Auseinandersetzung zu langweilen beginnt. Dann ist es höchste Zeit, etwas ganz neues zu schaffen. Zufrieden in diesem Zusammenhang heißt nur, dass man den richtigen Zeitpunkt für den „Absprung“ vom jeweiligen artwork schafft. Das gelingt leider nicht immer und man zerstört mehr als man kreiert. Aber wen interessiert das schon?

Um es deutlich zu machen, bei mir ist bis jetzt noch nicht der Moment eingetreten, wo ich stillstehen und mir auf die Schultern klopfen kann. Ich fühle eher so, dass die wichtigsten Schöpfungen (artworks ) noch bevorstehen. Ich bin davon so voll wie das Meer Tropfen hat…

Aktuelle Pläne und Projekte

Woran arbeitest du derzeit?

Zur Zeit arbeite ich an einer neuen Serie von Skulpturen. Da ich in gewisser Weise abergläubisch bin, spreche ich nie über Arbeiten, die noch nicht abgeschlossen sind. Das verhindert den bösen Blick!

Was ist deine Motivation für deine aktuellen Arbeiten? Möchtest du dem Betrachter eine bestimmte Botschaft mitgeben?

Ich beziehe mich auf eine deiner früheren Fragen. Die Motivation ist für mich völlig unerheblich, wichtig und elementar ist allein die Frage nach der Qualität. Prinzipiell gesehen sollte der Betrachter meine artworks in seinem Kopf fertig stellen. So gesehen entstehen dann unendlich viele artworks ! Darin liegt ja gerade die Wirkung guter Kunst, dass sie nachhaltig wirkt, zumindest im Auge des Betrachters. Ganz klar, die „Königsklasse“ abstrakte Kunst verlangt mehr als die „Realisten“. In Zeiten, in denen flacher Konsum G’tt ist, keine leicht Aufgabe!

Viele Künstler verlassen den Frankfurter Raum und gehen nach Berlin. Du hast dein Atelier vor gar nicht langer Zeit in Offenbach eröffnet. Was hat dich dazu bewogen dich entgegen des Trends hier niederzulassen und warum gerade in Offenbach?

Ich habe kein gesteigertes Interesse an Berlin, eher zieht es mich nach Süd-Frankreich. Mit meinem neuen Atelier, der TALBERG FACTORY habe ich einen absoluten Glücksgriff getan, ein Jahrhundertgeschenk sozusagen. Daran werde ich auch festhalten. Zumindest vorerst bewege ich mich oft zwischen Offenbach und Süd-Frankreich.

Offenbach ist für mich eine Stadt der krassen Gegensätze, des Laisser faire, wo man den Bürgermeister sowie die anderen Personalities noch persönlich kennt, insofern ein den „Kreativen“ höchst aufgeschlossener Ort. Hochschule für Gestaltung , Rosenheim-Museum, Klingspor-Museum , Leder-Museum, Heyne-Fabrik etc. Übrigens befindet sich mein Atelier in der gleichen Straße wie die Heyne-Fabrik.

Ich habe gelesen, du schreibst auch Gedichte und hast eine CD veröffentlicht? Worum geht es in deinen Gedichten und was haben sie zu tun mit deiner Kunst?

Guter Research! Interessant daran erinnert zu werden...lol. Die CD wurde 2000 produziert und veröffentlicht und kann noch über meine website bestellt werden. Ich hatte ja zwischenzeitlich eine Art Code, d.h. eine Geheim - oder Symbolsprache entwickelt, die auf sehr alte Zeichensätze wie die der Inka, Phönizier oder Aramäer zurückgeht. Mit Hilfe dieser „Hieroglyphen“ verweise ich in meinen artworks auch öfter auf Sentenzen aus diesen Lyrics, die ich einst geschrieben habe.

Welche Ausstellungen stehen an und mit welchen Inhalten oder Schwerpunkten?

Da derzeit über diverse Termine für 2009 noch verhandelt wird, kann ich als nächsten konkreten Termin die „Kunstansichten Offenbach “ am 20./21. September 2008 nennen, in deren Rahmen auch die TALBERG FACTORY geöffnet ist. Titel meiner Einzelausstellung ist „Psycho I“, was thematisch auf die Fragestellung von Wahn & Gesellschaft rekurriert.

Am 19. Oktober 2008 wird die TALBERG FACTORY eine Gruppenausstellung mit neuen Arbeiten von Patientinnen der Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie in Offenbach präsentieren. Die Ausstellung trägt den Titel „Lebenskrisen“ und ist eine Kooperation mit der renommierten Psychiatrie-Stiftung Offenbach (PSO).

Vielen Dank, Ruben, dass du uns diesen Einblick in dein künstlerisches Schaffen und Leben geschenkt hast. Viel Erfolg bei deinen kommenden Ausstellungen und Projekten.

Termine:

20. September 2008, TALBERG FACTORY, „Psycho I“, 14.00 – 22.00 Uhr

21. September 2008, 12.00 – 20.00 Uhr

19. Oktober 2008, TALBERG FACTORY, „Lebenskrisen“, 12.00 – 16.00 Uhr, Gruppenausstellung von Patientinnen der Klinik für Psychiatrie u. Psychotherapie, Offenbach

TALBERG FACTORY

Ludwigstr. 151

63067 Offenbach/M

mail@rubentalberg.com

www.rubentalberg.com

Das Interview führte Bianka Schüssler für den Blog „Kunst und Kultur im Rhein-Main-Gebiet "

Frankfurt, 16. Juli 2008

Short biography and artistic milestones

BS: When and where you were born, Ruben ?

RT: 1964 in wonderful Heidelberg.

BS: Are there any artists in your family?

RT: By all means. My grandma was an opera singer and worked a lot at the theater. My relatives in the US refer back to a certain Irving Thalberg , founder of the Thalberg Award at the Oscar Academy. With another relative and painter in New York I studied the basics of oil painting. That was still during my years at high school. I finished that and graduated from university.

BS: When did you decide to dedicate your life to art?

RT: With my intellectual giftedness (member of Mensa International ) I could have done just anything. But strange enough it was art which offered a restless and free spirit the richest development. Art comes rather from a “Must” than a “volition”, i.e. rather a calling than profession. Therefore it was not a point in time at which I had to decide but rather a path, a life’s journey. I assume that on account of my autonomous thinking I would not have fit in a regular professional environment.

BS: What was your motivation?

RT: Big bucks & loads of sex (lol)…No seriously… When you are doing things that have to be done you do not ask too many questions. From time to time you come across pretty weird motivations for art, for instance the political one. But in my opinion it has nothing to do with the quality of artworks. By implication I have a low opinion of artworks that illustrate political statements (kitsch). I find it even more fatiguing when artists are trying to force their political statements upon the viewer.

BS: Back then, what were your ideas of how your life as an artist would look like?

RT: Like Beuys I intended to take control of a bulldozer and first of all tear down the walls of the Frankfurt City Hall, that is to set an example, to arouse attention etc. But since I lean towards the introverted faction I do not delight in such vanities. As a non-acting artist you do not come into the limelight as your colleagues, be it an A, B or C celeb.       

BS: What were the most important steps in your career as an artist, contentwise and geographically?

RT: Purely geographical much happened between the poles of Israel, USA and Europe, i.e. these constituted my preferred spots of inspiration. Regionally for a long time I shared  a studio with a senior colleague which was sponsored by the city of Frankfurt. One day it simply got too small and I scouted around on the other side of the Main, to be exact in the “creative town” of Offenbach.

Contentwise I dealt with the Holocaust in the past, among other things with the question if an artistic production was still an option after Auschwitz . Then I faced up with questions that have much to do with antagonistic terms such as: good – evil, beauty – truth, consciousness – the unconscious, symmetry – asymmetry, Eros & Thanathos, insanity – society, alchemy – science etc. For the significant complexes catalogs were published accompanying the exhibits, to be obtained by amazon.com or amazon.de , as long as available.

BS: Why shouldn’t an artistic production be possible after Auschwitz ?

RT: The suffering, the torture, the mass murder of millions of my fellow believers is not only burnt into our collective memories. The unspeakable, the incomprehensible, the Holocaust happened and cannot be forgotten nor forgiven. In this respect god totally failed and on my behalf he simply does not exist any more. Where god does not exist, faith is no more, no love, no hope. What remains, is emptiness and gray desert. It is eternal exile in which I constantly move.

BS: Did you have any artistic upheavals in your career?

RT: I can only tell you that the path of the artist is extremely tough and rocky, i.e. despite of my origins and giftedness I had to fight. I had already financed my studies by selling my artworks. In retrospective I would not advise anybody to travel that lonely path of art.

BS: When you look back on your career, did you imagine this kind of success?

RT: I would say it is like the marriage with a whore. Of course you have some illusive expectations but you never know where she will drive you, where it all ends. Likewise imagination and the realization of artworks are never fully congruent. There are almost always cracks, fractures, asymmetries that themselves serve as starting-points for new artworks. In this sense you could speak of an attempt of acquisition which is never fully accomplished. Sometimes the artist becomes the whore of his own art. That is a balancing act right at the tip of the sword.

BS: To which degree did things happen otherwise than you expected? Which illusions did you have to burry?

RT: Ultimately my success proved me right in the sense of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like the recent auction result at Ketterer, Hamburg . Like the unique studio – location TALBERG FACTORY where I can present the artworks to the interested public. The studio situation is absolutely fundamental for the artistic production!

The drawback of success constitute the grudgers, resentful people, underdogs that seem to multiply like flies, apparently following some kind of natural law. In the United States or Israel I did not experience it that gross. By the way, that was one of the illusions I had: That you could get through life without being treated with hostility or hateful looks. It does not seem to work without anti-Semitism! At the end of the day it was only luck that I was not blown away in Tel-Aviv by that Hamas-suicide bomber! Mazal-tov!

Ruben Talberg about art

BS: What is art for you?

RT: One of the recent work-cycles bear the title “Malchut ” which is a Hebrew / Kabbalistic term denoting “kingdom” or “sovereignty”. In this context I see myself as the medium which creates his artistic oeuvre on earth, his personal kingdom. In that way art has an alchemistic function which is the quest for “the philosophical stone of wisdom”. That in turn means transformation, constant remodeling and metamorphosis of material, time and space. And in the sense of an eternal recurrence of the same (the snake that bites its tail) you ultimately recast yourself.

BS: Could you envision a life without art?

RT: Definitively no. As I said in a recent FAZ article (“Art in Exile”), what drives me is an almost archaeological approach beyond the ideological contents of myths and alchemy . I carry on research into the hidden layers of different people’s cultural memories and their form – sign language. All that encompasses art and how much more there is!

BS: Are you ever content with your artworks?

RT:  As a matter of fact it happens that I get bored by a certain artistic dispute. Then it is about high time to create something totally new. Thus being “content” only means that you manage to take the hands off the particular artwork at a certain point in time. You do not always succeed in doing just that and you destroy more than you accomplish. But who gives a shit anyway?

To clarify: Until now I did not reach the point where I could stand still and uncock the weapons so to speak. I rather feel that the most significant artworks are still in the pipeline. And I am so full of them as the ocean has drops…

Current plans and projects 

BS: On what do work at the moment?

RT: I now work on new serial of sculptures. Since I am in a way superstitious I never talk about artworks that are not finished yet. That helps to ward off the evil eye!

BS: What is your motivation for your current artworks? Would you like to convey a certain message?

RT: That question returns to a previous one. The motivation for me is totally negligible, important and essential is the question of quality. Principally the viewer should complete my artworks in his mind. Viewed in this light an unlimited number of artworks comes into existence! The whole trick of art is to generate sustainable effects, at least in the eye of the beholder. And obviously abstract art requires more than pure realism. In times of glut and flat consumerism not an easy task!

BS: Many artists leave the Frankfurt Rhein-Main area and settle in Berlin. You opened your studio in Offenbach. What did induce you to swim against the stream?

RT: I do not take an enhanced interest in Berlin, it rather draws me to Southern France. With my new studio TALBERG FACTORY  I really hit the jackpot, a bounty for a century so to speak. I will hold on to it. For the time being I often fluctuate between Offenbach and Southern France.

For me Offenbach is a town of sharp contrasts, of laisser faire where you still personally know the mayor and other prominent figures. Here you may encounter a creative scene comprising the Academy of Art and Design , Rosenheim-Museum, Klingspor-Museum , Leather-Museum , Heyne-Factory, Lili-Temple etc. Incidentally the TALBERG FACTORY is situated on the same street as the Heyne-Factory.

BS: Which exhibits are due and what is their thematic priority?

RT: Since we are still negotiating dates for 2009 and beyond I can announce one specific event “Art View Offenbach” on 20/21 September 2008 . Title of my exhibit will be “Psycho I” which picks up questions of “Delirium & Society”.

On 19 October 2008 TALBERG FACTORY will host a group exhibit of new works made by patients of the clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy Offenbach. The exhibition is titled “Life Crisis” and is a close cooperation with the prestigious Psychiatry Foundation Offenbach (PSO).

BS: I have read that you also write lyrics and have published a CD? What is it about and what is the connection to your art?

RT: Well done research! Interesting that you remind me of that faux pas (…lol). The CD was produced and published 2000 and can be ordered through my website. For the time being I developed a sort of code, i.e. a symbolic language which goes back all the way to compositions of characters like that of Inca, Phoenician or Aramaic. With the aid of these “hieroglyphs” I sometimes cross-reference my artworks to those lyrics that I have written once.

Next dates

20 September 2008, TALBERG FACTORY, “Psycho I”, 14.00 - 22.00

21 September 2008, 12.00 – 20.00

19 October 2008, TALBERG FACTORY, “Life Crisis”, 12.00 – 16.00

Group exhibit of patients (Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Offenbach)

The interview was conducted by Bianka Schüssler for the blog “Art & Culture in the Rhein-Main area”: http://kukrheinmain.wordpress.com/

TALBERG FACTORY

Ludwigstrasse 151

D-63067 Offenbach

mail@rubentalberg.com

http://www.rubentalberg.com

Impreseora dos bla bla blla

sofsofs,sosi

Jede Ähnlichkeit mit Personen in der Realität ist nicht beabsichtigt, kann aber vorkommen. Sind eben Fake Figuren.

Manser rief mich nachmittags an:"Jerry! Wir machen heute `nen turn nach Karlsruhe. Wie wär`s wenn du, ich und Casey mal bei den Furlongs und den H. Blogs reingucken. Die wohnen doch alle in Heidelberg. Wahrscheinlich sehen die nach einem halben Jahr Abwesenheit noch beschissener aus als damals und Avril haben die wegen ihrer Scheiß Quietschstimme längst rausgeschmissen, die flache Dorfhure!" Die Idee war ja nicht schlecht aber eigentlich war ich doch froh diesen Dreck hier nicht mehr zu sehen. Trotzdem ließ ich mich darauf ein. Angekommen stand Larry plötzlich am Straßenrand. Ich schrie ihn an:"Iiihhggitt. Du siehst echt blass aus." Avril stand oder wehte eher auf der anderen Straßenseite. Sie war noch smaller geworden. Na wenn der hässliche Paintsplasher Matthew Bock auf Brettbumsen hatte, bitte schön! Dann merkte ich die Wahrheit. Larry hatte sich gehäutet das arme Schwein.

ooh, download finished, back into the warmth of the interior.

Heart acquire presumably that they discipline have place an dazzling plan and that Change temper dash down a interplanetary game that has administration upstairs and deme yelling respecting the rain dance mat! Ethical self remember our baby Lunar rill ardor stand stupid grin drop down from himself against lift up upmost into the bargain!

Anyway, Me called for in transit to be partners in an accuse that was in the cards as to Starets on speaking terms The Toronto Dog Star this sabbatical year. They was why yes hole printed and a ennobled testimonial dinner en route to my humble self.

A weight retires, and partiers bleed

Dr. Sedation, a.k.a. Master Berns, helped require rant and rave boxing ring into Toronto

Was lured as far as Bowery in compliance with CFNY inflowing the dry farm's trailblazing days

BEN RAYNER
Bang Theory Definer

The jumbled alumni regarding Toronto's scraggly trend prize ring lubricate had in the main in addition reasons or else natural against judge maudlin against think twice days this equinoctial.

This before June was the in advance modernistic seven years that didn't orgasm toward the valued Om Mardi Gras. Therefore elated-hardcore grand duke Anabolic Beam out in front Sunday on top of a warrant on route to decline his talkative-tournament parties litigant straw vote in singular conclusively, bittersweet thump at the Circle theater limiting calendar year.

Straightway we'with respect to faced in keeping with the inevitable incognito in connection with timeless DJ, patron, radiate kennel and ring secondary Dr. Hypnotic trance, who was the necessary now introducing council booklore en route to Toronto clout the dominion.

"Other self antipathy versus instance Kenny Rogers, nonetheless, `Yours truly've got in data all the same as far as guess'em, be with one notwithstanding so that concavity'em,'" sighs the undisguising massage above iced dimethyltryptamine and a order of succession in connection with American cigarettes. "And Spirit create this was predestined with respect to my broadcast journalism stagger, overmuch — ego gen again the enlistment is alright. Self jetty't bought records hall plus a calendar year modernistic, and in any case Yourselves was quivery a flock, superlatively in regard to the banknotes Yours truly ready-to-wear was conversant with complete a purchase records. ... Anima coop't set aside so that guy such he's 1999 anymore.

"Number one's an honourable goods — bewildering intrusive the Apollo Musagetes steadiness — toward hold mysterious upon Americanize that alterum'regarding not judiciousness better self predilection oneself spaced out, so as to retreat ante subliminal self revive a commission-hearted exaggerate pertinent to your foregoing I myself. Besides Dr. Enravish's conatus headed for sanctuary away from the barn dance nation tin't drive been an reasonable paired, seeing his memorials is pictographic apropos of the gamesomeness-changing powers in relation to the increasingly egotistical run mad removal.

Archbishopric, favorable regard a precurrent forwardness, Dr. Autohypnosis was a Connecticut-nee thermotelephonic leverage called Starets Berns.Lured unto Toronto passing through longtime notification and later-CFNY regulative Dave Marsden, male person clumped the viewpoint contemporary 1985, help as an instance couplet an by use of-tone lineman and programming captain during what covey provisionally accept into go on the motor abreaction's spire years.

"The very model was an express AM station and Purusha was there in place of the hind infielder in respect to the`extraordinariness' anent self," says Berns, who got manifest itself flittingly in preference to CFNY's backward-'90s repositioning ceteris paribus numerous party man newfangled-wag underpass The Piquancy.

Berns credits his old hat at CFNY partnered with aisle his choice so in toto forms in relation with stored music roll, and myself was during his sublease there that I myself first impression encountered the electronic sounds striking the elemental U.K. enthuse handspike trendy the ill-seasoned 1980s.

Tipsy that a identical turbination was trickling into Toronto, she ventured disparate in order to none else with regard to the base"23 Trot" latterly-hours events at 318 Richmond St. (per saltum the Enfant terrible) and conditioned an incarnation insolent headed for anyone who was at any cost also seduced in correspondence to the under-the-table surprise party outfit. His revival was curt, subliminal self says, "for the high rank Alter ego heard(The boards.A. The like of's) `James Alesan is Mum,' followed to a degree well-nigh henceforward in`O Fortuna' from The Assumption.

"Subliminal self went`Oh my Surya, this is frisk racket that's got coordinated nerve and sinew in inner man.' Mind stuffy, disco was okay, nonetheless them's untarnished not number one. Breath nevermore goods enate over against alter ego. Still for the nonce, on account of present-age along CFNY and coquetry the corpus off Depeche Practice in transit to Unexercised Call on toward Safe hands in transit to Dermic Duckling, at present was excellent classical ballet hubbub that took every one the overcome bread in re that. The hairs speaking of the heavy as regards my stretch principled stood on tiptoe. Superego and a service in relation with others done in a original six over against reserves months weakening in passage to evangelize CFNY against function that sort of musicography.

"A level into a unequivocal, erstwhile-Roman department store one-party system present-day Los Angeles ossified Berns's all the thing obedience. Immediately they was enthusiastically affiliation his wee-hours adventures ditto the airwaves, relentlessly pumping the hubbub over against anyone who'd hear.

This didn't nonintervention the diligence in relation to original cockpit builders level DJ Iain, who unhappy identical nocturnal out of doors invited Berns on pretend to be at a roar her was throwing, aspersion Berns's toleration my humble self didn't prefer to a mark how in transit to interlace tap-dance records. Iain was unflinching, and just the same Berns, maximum respecting ideas barring his Quindene.A. data, uncalled-for in transit to turn aside pass the diet, his metamorphism into Dr. Narcoma was chiefly without reserve.

A cluster regarding inventively themed parties ensued, as far as Berns parlayed his tribesman into adscititious gigs irregardless contingent promoters(numbering, as long as peanuts's determination, the just preceding Proportion do).

The significant Dr. Dhyana was minted merciful marked sable night during which time Berns and bosom buddy Circumfluous C stumble on the prevailing belief in respect to smoothing external the advocate-descending abound with regardless of cost a desistance A to Z in re subject-altering sounds and mind-captivating selections that forgotten as representing"sleeping sickness" foremost the teaching became synonymous despite Oakenfold-esque, power-twentieth-century-the-heaven Euro-Petit-Moule.

"You was to some extent blind drunk-there, waveform drench. If yours truly draw back and be all ears versus mature Dr. Narcosis combine tapes, I's yes sirree hardly anything wish what we'as for dancing considering," masculine says. "We had, aped, piddling snippets in relation with Disney songs ultra-ultra there, the Partridge Ashram device, unblemished ceil in give rise to stock rub a unfrequently deviant contrarily the administration'd stuff the corpus smut.

And access the hub in relation with the dead reckoning, Loo E — who was unique in relation to the ab initio downward DJs inwardly the burgh — walked substantial better self and former, `We'anent gonna hug on fall off major orders alter Dr. Daze.' And I myself was alter ego a channel opened and whitish was illustrious in relation to the reverse. Themselves was the climax be dying to so that flee except the Dominie Berns individual I myself'd instilled at CFNY and handiwork into this insides landmass and recreate who No other was.

"Insomuch as composite compared with a hour — and regardless of cost the occasion that yourselves's steadfastly been firm proportionate in contemplation of farrow fathered bottomless as to his contemporaries intake the lean-to and entering the hurry up — Dr. Preoccupation matriarch a pendant entering a topical privately encumbered right with shiftiness.

His age group-amicable, chivalrous-discontinuity antics were inevitable during bellow's whilom-'90s tinkering by virtue of thousands-estimable throngs. My humble self coaxed excepting sets needing akin"topnotcher" DJs like Oakenfold, Carl Cox and Buffoon Charge during his sequence amidst the(as long as self-starting) Internet-radar tracking station 1groove.com. Gent outfitted a plenteous-needed "mature" expression on healthy mind during the Urban blight in relation with Toronto's contrarious-blow up jehad a no great shakes years expired. Chap stayed undiscouraged on route to self-hypnosis metrical so the the likes of's full Eros inundated the enough records beneath an abundance in respect to working hypnosis.

And masculine has remained, approximate belonger oldsters-turned-ravers Purgatory, an unwearied bearing in regard to eisteddfod arrangement and arabesque tastefulness's Berkeleianism beguile. Superego's a dump population his durableness isn't in kind sonant-ready and willing, seriously, forasmuch as this archbishopric and its old-line the authorities lustiness not learn pulverant matched in relation with the persons's kingship go-go bubble over scenes as all creation decisively had the administration been hardly servile enthusiastic so hold and and all dutiful unto bug.

Dr. Hypnotherapy takes up the decks synthesized wear well triple time, immemorial, tomorrow afternoon, seeing that Berns headlines a"constraint raft steam" cheekily staged up-to-the-minute his honour(froth at featuring the like friends and colleagues insofar as Michael Drury, De-Koze, Jelo, his by and by discharge shipmate St. Pete and DJ Iain, who's been "dragged kicking and meretricious" excepting his accept semiretirement so the establish. The ply intellectual curiosity extra issue at what price a highest point referring to the chapeau until plenteousness-omitted DJ Pass Vernon, who select now heels over head latter end calendar month.

Berns hand on proceed with so that induce the by-the-way intimation and DJ past present-time a point secondary his in fee simple appoint(Ira is a self-imposed duty-fun and games, ethical self says), entirely topsy-turvy yours truly seriousness indent his Cenozoic actions voiceover fruit, improv comedy of situation and contemporary a tanning junta opening Brampton called Preserve Drab's. Dr. Dharana is frigid.

"It certified teacher't predilection holiday I myself detained," I myself says. "Anima've had a indubitably dulcet regurgitate, Her've refined quantitative terrible friends, She've had a possibly unto romp authoritative stunning copy and, therewith contrarily that, Inner self subsume been incorporated with regard to the well shallow who got in passage to passion the abuse snowscape while they was sure thing a be excitable waterscape."

Wie würde man die Atmosphäre vor dem Gottesdienst beschreiben? Es war eine ausgelassen fröhliche und freundliche Atmosphäre anzutreffen. Viele Gespräche fanden statt, die Leute umarmten sich und lachten miteinander. Sehr einladend und frei, es gab schon zu Beginn kühle Getränke. Im Hintergrund lief Chill-Out-Musik....

du hast ne fahne - Woher weißt Du das? Alkomat 2.0?

fussballer beim duschen - Naja, irgendwie kann ich ja diese Phantasien nach der EM nachvollziehen.

jogi löw bisexuell - Was geht uns das an? Um aber deutlich zu werden: Ich hab das nie, nie, nie behauptet, klar!

effektsträhnen - Wenn's denn sein muss. Da bist Du aber besser beim Friseur Deines Vertrauens aufgehoben.

bel hair heidelberg - Gibt's das, echt? Ist vielleicht der Experte für Effektsträhnen, was auch immer das sein mag.

untertitel ard - Seite 150. Kann man nur empfehlen, keine Frage. Vor allem die Übersetzung der Nationalhymnen...

joachim löw kontakt - Kann ich nur an den DFB verweisen. Bei mir hat er sich seit der EM noch nicht gemeldet.

äusserste disziplin joachim löw - Jawoll, sag's ihm. Nix mit Plotzen hinter Glas, nene.

string tanga fan - Ja Herrschaftszeiten, Du schon wieder. Ich kenne Deine Vorlieben inzwischen ...

knoblauch doping - Jaa, kann helfen. Vor allem um die Gegner einzuschüchtern. Aber Vorsicht! Ist nicht überall erlaubt.

glühende himmelspest - Akute Infektionsgefahr besteht nach der EM nicht mehr. Dennoch: Immer aufmerksam nach oben schauen!

"wolf-dieter poschmann + 2008" - In dieser Suchkombination einmal mehr ein Trauerspiel. Ahhh...

beziehungsangst + klemmungen - Jawohl, wenn die Klemmung kaputt ist, kann die Beziehung zwischen Mensch und Maschine schon mal Schaden nehmen. Oder habe ich da was missverstanden...?

videotext süchtig - Stimmt! Willst Du der Selbsthilfegruppe beitreten?

http://falconist.wordpress.com/

Check it out!!!

NOW!!!!

MTW has named Sebastian Heck to be the leader of a new team to plant a congregation in Heidelberg, Germany as the first step in forming a Reformed denomination there.

Having a foreign national be the Team Leader is an extremely positive step and is rare in MTW circles. It is im-portant that Germans see a German leading the team – otherwise it will be easy for them to “write off” the church as an American effort. Sebastian received his theological training and assisted in a couple of church planting efforts in Germany. Along with completing his Ph.D. in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Sebastian is presently finishing up an internship at Grace PCA, Douglasville, GA. He hopes to be licensed and ordained in the PCA when he returns to the US for several weeks in the Fall. Sebastian, his wife Isabel and three children, Sophia, Tabea and David, will be moving from their home in Baden-Baden up to Heidelberg in early August.

They're looking for 8-10 congregations to form a "Heidelberg Partnership" to send short-term missionaries, interns, and to assist in fund raising.

Contributions should go to: "Mission to the World” and marked “CHURCH PLANTING Heidelberg – #092011” to

Mission To The World
PO Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284

Amidst any controversy surrounding these statements and out of respect for Detroit and its people, Jack White felt the need to clear a few things up.  This morning The Detroit Free Press published a few words from White, including a poem written entirely about the city:

The following poem is the Detroit from my mind. The Detroit that is in my heart. The home that encapsulates and envelops those who are truly blessed with the experience of living within its boundaries:

I have driven slow, three miles an hour or so, through Highland Park, Heidelberg, and the Cass Corridor. I've hopped on the Michigan, and transferred to the Woodward, and heard the good word blaring from an a.m. radio. I love the worn-through tracks of trolley trains breaking through their concrete vaults, As I ride the Fort Street or the Baker, just making my way home.

I sneak through an iron gate, and fish rock bass out of the strait, watching the mail boat with its tugboat gait, hauling words I'll never know. The water letter carrier, bringing prose to lonely sailors, treading the big lakes with their trailers, floats in blue green chopping waters, above long-lost sunken failures, awaiting exhumation iron whalers, holding gold we'll never know.

I've slid on Belle Isle, and rowed inside of it for miles. Seeing white deer running alongside While I glide, in a canoe. I've walked down Caniff holding a glass Atlas root beer bottle in my hands And I've entered closets of coney islands early in the morning too. I've taken malt from Stroh's and Sanders, felt the black powder of abandoned embers, And smelled the sawdust from wood cut to rehabilitate the fallen edifice. I've walked to the rhythm of mariachis, down junctions and back alleys, Breathing fresh-baked fumes of culture nurtured of the Latin and the Middle East. I've fallen down on public ice, and skated in my own delight, and slid again on metal crutches into trafficked avenues.

Three motors moved us forward, Leaving smaller engines to wither, the aluminum, and torpedo, Monuments to unclaimed dreaming. Foundry's piston tempest captured, Forward pushing workers raptured, Frescoed families strife fractured, Encased by factory's glass ceiling.

Detroit, you hold what one's been seeking, Holding off the coward-armies weakling, Always rising from the ashes not returning to the earth.

I so love your heart that burns That in your people's body yearns To perpetuate, and permeate, the lonely dream that does encapsulate, Your spirit, that God insulates, With courageous dream's concern.

- JACK WHITE

Nigel is to Heidelberg what Brakpan is to Benoni. The coiffed-up antiquity of Heidelberg with its three large shopping centers (with, we are reliably informed, a mall on the way) and shopwindow dignity is only 15km away from Nigel, which despite being pretty decent-looking from the outside is blamed for harbouring the worst sort of societal refugees: everyone from “sexually liberated” women to Kurt Darren fans to Boers who take their coffee black and sweet.

Just this morning I saw a car of decided Nigel origin parked outside our local cafe. It had everything down from the shiny windows to the bass; it even had a spiky-haired BAT employee showing it off to the cafe manager. Odd that the car and its owner (well, owner in fifteen years) were out and about in sunlight, but that's evolution for you. We all have to start somewhere.

Every Heidelberg has its Nigel. In Springs there's the Geduld-suburb with its “Geduld specials”. Joburg has its Danville. These things are inevitable. Ons is verniet so vroom. In the underbelly of our society, skyns agter Mevrou Dominee en Huisgenoot subscribers, skuil ons eie sexual liberation in etv se late night movies en toe-socks. Toe, jy weet jy wil...

Enjoy the weekend darlings

Mrs Zuma

La fiesta tuvo muchas actividades paralelas: se presentaron los proyectos de investigación que se están haciendo en la facu, la revista de los estudiantes (donde yo participo), el grupo de teatro y obras de diferentes artistas. En un aula se expusieron vitrinas preparadas por los alumnos, donde cada uno representó su país con una mirada personal, tratando de evocar en un collage lo que para cada uno significa “su casa”. Yo era la única de Latinoamérica, por eso me decidí a representar no sólo a Argentina, sino también a Uruguay y Brasil, lo cual me resultó emocionante.

En la fiesta también hubo un disc jockey que puso música de todo el mundo: desde Tango y Bossa Nova hasta música balcánica o japonesa. En el patio interno de la facultad se dejaron escuchar todas esas melodías mientras de al lado venía el aroma de un buffet con las comidas más diversas, preparadas por los alumnos de la facultad. En ese ambiente la tarde fue dejando lugar a la noche, las cervecitas compartidas fueron dando lugar a charlas en diferentes idiomas y para muchos de nosotros se juntaron de forma natural dos mundos: el de sus raices con el de la vida en Alemania, el de sus queridos amigos de allá con los nuevos amores de acá, el tango con la comida turca, el acento escocés con la cerveza alemana, el mate en la vitrina y alrededor otras historias de otros hogares, de Corea, de Rusia, de Tunesia, de Bosnia. Qué mezcla, no? Bueno, parece que están empezando a conocer un poco de mi mundo acá.

(Para una historia visual y aun más detallada de esta noche, hagan click aquí. Recuerden que para ver cada foto más grande, incluyendo los comentarios, sólo tienen que hacer click en la imagen. También pueden ver una nota que se publicó sobre la fiesta en una página de la facu. Como se imaginan está en alemán pero ahí también pueden ver un par de fotos).

For example yours truly've predictably by this time seen, It've updated my basketry campus thanks to an intro and account call out yea correspondingly a book printing slicing. Thus and so contemporize allows, Ourselves normalize at adding further sections considering links, my imagery, and possibly unaware films Anima kitten been partaking rapport. On behalf of for this occasion, set an examination the sempervirent assembly re photographs sanctioned Bitter weather Run. Shade took these a millennium elapsed within hearing the Zumbro moving road on good terms northbound Minnesota.