Thursday, July 30, 2009

So seltsam durch die Nacht



So seltsam durch die Nacht

Jetzt fängt alles von vorne an,
der Wind treibt uns fort und dann
reden wir genau wie bisher
von unserem Leben,
das sich immer so weiter dreht
und wir immer noch nichts verstehen
von dem Chaos in unseren Hirnen
und dem Gang unserer Wege.

Und wir rauchen immer viel zu viel,
doch wir sehen gut dabei aus,
ja wir tun das mit Stil
und wir warten auf den Anfang der Nacht,
wenn das Licht aus geht
und unser müdes Herz wieder lacht.

Und wir gehen in die Kinos,
in die Kneipen und wir tanzen und wir hoffen,
dass noch so viel passiert,
doch wir fühlen uns trostlos,
gelangweilt und oh so verprellt,
von der Liebe und von den tanzenden Menschen.

Und wir trinken immer viel zu viel,
doch wir sehen gut dabei aus,
ja wir tun das mit Stil
und wir warten auf den Taumel der Nacht,
wenn das Licht aufgeht
und unsere trunkene Seele erwacht.



Und jetzt fängt alles von vorne an,
der Wind treibt uns fort
und dann reden wir
genau wie bisher
von unserem Leben.

Doch im Taumel da fühlen wir uns wohl,
ein Hoch auf den Alkohol
komm einen noch,
ich kann dich noch sehen.

Und wir labern immer viel zu viel,
doch wir sehen gut dabei aus,
ja was wir tun das hat Stil,
doch ich hab Angst vor dem Ende der Nacht,
wenn das Licht uns fängt
und der Tag uns bloß müde verlacht.

(Gisbert zu Knyphausen)

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

The Prince and the Butterflies - A Fairy-Tale


The Prince and the Butterflies

Once upon a time there was a handsome prince, living in his castle with two towers. But despite the fact that the prince lived in this beautiful castle and was well liked by his people, he was a sad prince. He was sad because his lover, the princess, lived in a far away country and he could not reach his princess because the evil king would not let anyone come near his daughter. To make sure that the prince would not get to the princess, the evil king closed the borders of his empire and would not let anyone into his country without a special paper, sealed with the blood of the king.

And, as much as the prince tried to get one of these entry papers, he could not get one. He was refused entry many, many times.

So every day the prince became sadder and sadder because he loved the princess so much and the princess replicated his feelings.

Then, one day, after a dream full of longings for his princess, the prince woke up and saw two butterflies locked up in one of his towers. The two butterflies were a couple, king and queen of the butterfly fairy land. The prince went over to them, looked at the beautiful colours of their wings and tossed the windows of the tower wide open, so that the butterflies could escape, yet not without looking back at the sad and handsome prince.

The next morning a butterfly fairy came to see the prince. She said that she was sent by the butterfly king to reward the prince for letting the butterfly couple free. The prince said that all he wanted was to get to his princess in that far away, closed country. At once the butterfly fairy gave the prince some large, blue wings which grew out of his body. The prince rose up, tossed his new wings once or twice and started to fly. He rose up all into the sky, circled a few times over his castle and then flew over the closed borders of the evil king’s empire.

Because he flew so high up over the borders, the guards did not see him and could not stop him. So he eventually reached his princess, kissed her first gently, then passionately, and then even kissed her some more.

And so they lived happily ever after…

Any resemblance to real characters and events is purely coincidental.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

John Lennon Quote



John Lennon: "So, as Churchill said, it's the Englishman's inalienable right to live where the hell he likes. So... and as I say to any Englishman, "don't you get homesick and want to come back?". I say, "what, do you think it's going to vanish? It's not going to be there when I get back?"…

… In my opinion, it should be anyone’s inalienable right to go and live wherever he/she wants…

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What a pity


Isn't it a pity
Now, isn't it a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity

Some things take so long
But how do I explain
When not too many people
Can see we're all the same
And because of all their tears
Their eyes can't hope to see
The beauty that surrounds them
Isn't it a pity

Isn't it a pity
Isn't is a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity

Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity
Forgetting to give back
Now, isn't it a pity

[George Harrison]

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Exhibition Opening in Tbilisi






Tonight was the opening of my exhibition of my series on Georgian IDPs at the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Tbilisi. I am very pleased with the opening night… We had quite a good turnout of people coming to the exhibition and public debate (even Georgian TV was there and did a short interview with me, along with two other film crews – it felt a bit strange and unfamiliar to give interviews about my work), the Georgian deputy minister for IDP affairs, Julia Kharashvili, was present and sparked a lively debate, and there might be a (much larger) follow on exhibition coming out of this… but I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch…

The debate focused – heated at times - on the main issues that IDPs face and which I have blogged on before: unresolved territorial issues, financial assistance issues/issues of compensation and the safety of those returning to their native regions… plenty of “meat” for a follow on project…