(In English)
Wo auch immer ihr seid is an invocation of the absent and the title of an impressive novel. At the heart of the story is Kiều, who grew up in Germany; her parents migrated from Vietnam. When her grandmother dies, it’s time to confront her own family history. This sets things in motion within the family structure, which is trained for stability.
Khuê Phạm, a journalist and author, created a compelling novel with Wo auch immer ihr seid, which rightfully received a lot of attention. Now, the English edition titled Brothers and Ghosts is being released. Khuê Phạm will introduce the book at Ballhaus Naunynstraße, in conversation with performance artist Marque-Lin.
There are bound to be intersections, differences and similarities: Marque-Lin, who directed Auf dem Mars sieht die Welt so aus (On Mars, the World Looks Like This) (2023) at Ballhaus Naunynstraße, moved from the USA, from Little Saigon in California, to Germany; Kiều, the novel’s heroine, travels there to meet the American-Vietnamese part of her diasporic family. And so, this evening will likely revolve around Khuê Phạm’s novel, around war and silence, secret desires, second-generation artistic creation, as well as diasporic ramifications in art and everyday life.
