Keith Zenga King is a theatre producer and curator at the Munich Kammerspiele. She has lived in Germany for five years and although she lives in Munich, she travels all over the country for work. I spoke to her on the phone after work. As we had the conversation in English, I'll translate it below:
Keith, how did you experience the corona period?
That was difficult. As an artist, I immediately lost six months' worth of work. - But the forced break was also good for me: from the moment I arrived in Germany five years ago, my life was characterised by a constant rush from one commission to the next, it was crazy, I was so driven to always have the next project in sight! Corona hit two weeks before a planned theatre festival and I immediately switched everything to online.
What are important topics for you in the queer scene at the moment?
In the prevailing political climate, the representation of marginalised activists and artists is very important to me. This strange time in particular requires opportunities for participation. Care must be taken to ensure that representations of race, enduring solidarity and communities also convey depth and complexity. As an artist, I bring the activist into my work: Themes such as migration, queerness, etc. shape my artistic representations and thus form the framework for my work.
What does queer solidarity mean to you?
I think you have to understand that it's more about politics than desire and that you don't necessarily have to be queer to be part of it. For me, solidarity is primarily about caring for the community and for each other, and it also includes general care and care work. At the moment, we should concentrate on resting and pausing and prepare ourselves for the worst. I'm thinking of the economic, social and political tensions that will swim in the wake of this global pandemic.
What do you wish for the future?
That the way we work needs to be recalibrated.
Do you have a project that is close to your heart right now?
Yes, I'm writing a book, a collection of poems, it's called "I am other in exile" and I'm already quite advanced with my work on it. Apart from that, I'm preparing for the next season...
The queer scene is also affected by the Coronavirus pandemic affected, whether through possible loneliness or financial difficulties. Do you want to help or are you looking for help? #WeForQueer lists projects that offer help or are looking for support themselves. Click through and find a suitable aid or solidarity campaign!
