Exhibition

House of World Cultures, Berlin
August, 11th to 14th 2005
Opening: August 11th, 2005, 6.00 pm

Chosen Bits and Scattered Wholes
The Realities and Everyday lives of German-Indian women of the second generation
by Anke Illing, photographer & Sunju Choi, curator, Germany 2005

Many people of Indian origin live in Germany. For many years, the second generation of migrants were considered by others to live between two cultures, not knowing where to belong. If you take a closer look, however, it becomes clear that many of them naturally and confidently relate to India without allowing themselves to be pigeon-holed. They cannot and do not want to deny their migrational back-ground but want to determine the parameters and grade of identification with India themselves. Many of them, therefore, engage with Indian culture, choose and focus on what aspects they’re interested in and discover their country of origin each in their own way. The exhibition is aimed at the German-Indian women of the second generation. What is the structure of their everyday life? Is their life different from that of ‘normal’ Germans?

The exhibition presents eight women living in Berlin and Cologne. They are of different age, have different jobs and interests. They have diverse realities. What they have in common is a relationship with India, which they constantly seek and find – in different ways

Dance Performance by Mala Ullau at the Opening
"Matrimonial",
"Match invited for our Berlin based daughter, Indian origin, from decent family. Fair, beautiful, self educated, working girl, artistically inclined, cooking and housekeeping could be improved. Seeking open minded handsome boy, professionally settled. Caste no bar experience required . Please respond with photo and biodata.“

Mla Ullal works as freelance dacer and yoga teacher since 2002 in Berlin. Since 1997 co-operation with Elise Ralston.

Sun-ju Choi works as journalist and screenplay-editor. Since October 2003 she has been working for DOMiT (Center for documentation of the migration from Turkey) as a research associate on a freelance basis in the field of Korean migration in Germany. She is member of Kanak Attak and Kanak TV.

Anke Illing was born in 1971 in Germany. She studied hotel business management. Since 2002 she has been working as freelance photographer in Berlin. In her work she focuses on portraits, people and travelling. Over the last years she published several features on social and cultural issues.