»Black Milk« as a Metaphor Beyond Clichés – Focus on Eastern Europe

Understanding beyond all prejudices and ethnic clichés, an unconditional togetherness – that is the wish of most artists inside and outside the European Union. The countries on the periphery also belong to Europe, because many of their cultural roots lie here, and all differences are an enrichment of the European community. Based on the metaphorical festival motto »Black Milk« and the poem »Todesfuge« (1944/45) by the German-Romanian lyricist Paul Celan, we will talk about differences and similarities in the life and work of artists, e.g. from the Balkan countries. Culture makes hopelessness and fear transcend into the principle of hope, a strategy for survival and a matter of the heart.