Astrid Hiemer
Bio:
A cultural critic and writer, Astrid grew up after WW II in Hamburg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in the 1960s. She was formerly the assistant director (Administrative Officer) of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT under Otto Piene, with whom she has worked in the past several years editing, translating, and researching for a major book about his life and career. While at The Center she knew and worked with many multi-media artists. In addition to professional work as an editor and translator she is also a poet, and writer of fiction. Most of her written work is accompanied by her own photographs.
Recent Articles:
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First Berkshire Mountains Faerie Fest in Adams, MA Front Page
A Family Day Built Around Fun and Fantasy, June 25
By: - Jun 28th, 2016While looking into the concept of Faerie or Fairy Festivals, one might discover that there are quite a number of such events happening each year all over America. 'The Faerie Festival Bug' hit six months ago in the town of Adams, MA, among a group of believers, at the Adams Arts Advisory Board. They enlisted many participants, word spread quickly among like-minded fantasy lovers, and here is the result in photos and report of the First Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival.
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The Maxim Gorki Theater - Berlin, Germany Front Page
Small But Look-Out!
By: - Jun 20th, 2016The Maxim Gorki Theater is situated in the center of Berlin, just off the boulevard 'Unter den Linden.' Since 2013, after a change in directors, 'The Gorki ' has again become a most vital forum for current socio-political and humanistic themes and plays. We are discussing here some on the 2016 playlist.
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Journey to Hamburg, Germany: Part Two Front Page
Not Just a Family Affair – in English and German
By: - Apr 26th, 2016The second article begins with our Family Reunion on Easter Monday, which nearly 40 people from 11 families attended. What a festive affair and the three hour brunch just flew by. The meeting ended with a new official family photo. ~ For the remainder of our week we explored the city again, downtown Hamburg, where we kids grew up. Even then, the city was a wonderful playground.
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Journey to Hamburg, Germany - Part One Front Page
A Family Affair and Much More - English/German
By: - Apr 17th, 2016We set off on a 10 day trip to Hamburg, Germany, from two airports: Albany and Washington, D.C. and arrived per schedules - what a relief. Our hosts came with two cars to transport us all to Ahrensburg, in southern Schleswig-Holstein, just outside of Hamburg, my home town. Nearly 40 family members met on Easter-Monday in Hamburg for a family reunion, which we orchestrated from North Adams, MA. What a wonderful experience! We ventured into Hamburg a few times per U-Bahn, subway transportation. The city always shows its best side to visitors, even sometimes in the rain. On our first trip into the city we were enthralled to see the 'Miniatur Wunderland,' the biggest railway system exhibition there is. Here an account of our adventures in English and German.
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Sand and Seas - Part Two Front Page
Reflections and Anticipation
By: - Mar 07th, 2016Sand and Seas - Part One found hundreds of viewers and readers. What delight! We are offering in Part Two long views and nearly abstract images and textures that oceans and beaches offer to a keen eye and a camera lense.
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Othello after William Shakespeare by Soeren Voima Front Page
Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin
By: - Mar 01st, 2016The small Gorki Theater in Berlin will be honored on May 15, 2016 with the prestigious Theaterpreis (Theatre Price) for its innovative and daring plays. The current production of 'Othello' offers one such performance. Shakespeare's play was adapted by Soeren Voima.
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Sand and Seas – Part One Front Page
A Summer Tale for Winter Days
By: - Feb 29th, 2016It takes time to collect and develop a photo project. The subject may have spooked around my head for days, weeks, perhaps months. The raw material are thousands of digital photographs, which include the subject matter at hand. Then questions arise: What is there to work from? What do I want to say? What can I show? How many images do I need to convey my ideas? Too many sub-categories for one essay? Yes! So, please peruse the first part of 'Sand and Seas.'
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Berlinale 2016 Front Page
Another Blockbuster Film Festival
By: - Feb 22nd, 2016Berlin just concluded the February 11 - 21, 2016 Berlinale by presenting 434 international films and more than 300.000 tickets were sold. Perhaps for the first time, a documentary film received the most coveted Golden Bear, 'Fuocoammare,' by Gianfranco Rosi. A thread of 'the right to happiness' was woven into the selection of movies, as there were also most serious subject matters in 15 categories. Two demanded much of the audience, time wise: They were 8 and 11 hours long.
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Rimini Protokoll's Adolf Hitler: Mein Kampf Front Page
At Berlin's Hebbel Am Ufer from Jan. 7 - 10
By: - Jan 11th, 2016Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' had not been newly published in Germany post WWII. As of December 31, 2015 Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' has been in the public domain and on January 7th, the Institute for Contemporary History in Munich published a two volume scholarly edition with approximately 3700 notes on 2000 pages. The first 5000 volumes have been sold out with 1500 pre-orders already booked. Also from January 7th to January 10th Rimini Protokoll presented its first performance of 'Adolf Hitler: Mein Kampf, Band 1 & 2' at the theatre complex of Hebbel Am Ufer in Berlin to sold out audiences.
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Will There Ever be Peace? Word
My Response to Erika Marquardt's Book
By: - Dec 14th, 2015On December 1st BFA published an article, or call it a review of Erika Marquardt's book, 'Memories of a War to Come: A German Girl Growing Up in the 2nd World War.' It ends with a poem, my own response to Erika's poetry and collages of life-long lasting war memories:
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Memories of a War to Come by Erika Marquardt Front Page
A German Girl Growing Up in the 2nd World War
By: - Dec 01st, 2015Do all, who have experienced war first-hand respond differently, perhaps more knowingly to images, reports and articles, now inundating the air waves about current wars, notably in Syria and Iraq? So very timely is the poetry and picture book by Erika Marquardt, which I received recently. And what a book it is! Her WW II childhood memories have haunted her all her life and she has written poems and painted pictures and collages for decades. Marquardt now collected those memories eloquently in her 2015 published book, which deserves a wide reception and circulation. Will there ever be PEACE?!
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Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival Front Page
Overview of a Week in the Sun: Literally and Culturally
By: - Oct 01st, 2015The 10th Tennessee Williams Theater Festival in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, occurred from September 24 to 27 with great success during a week of daily sunshine. The weather helped: there were outdoor performances on the beach and on a large deck of the Boat Slip. The town took part with venues including Town Hall, the former High School, a radio station and a Night Club. Of course, two major plays were smashingly performed at the Provincetown Theater. And the buzz was all about TW - Tenn at Ten!
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Lost and Found Word
With a Photo Spoof
By: - Sep 18th, 2015When you’ve lost your set of keys / You, once again, realize the complexities in your life.... is the beginning of a poem and photo series. Who cannot relate to that or other 'lost' things or time and many other unfortunate circumstances in life? Keys, in fact, are just a small matter and my excuse to photograph in September the remaining glory of our garden.
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Tanz im August, Berlin, Germany 2015 Front Page
Dance in August ended 4 September
By: - Sep 08th, 2015The 27th International Dance Festival was scheduled from 13 August to 4 September. The Artistic Director, Virve Soutinen, invited international dance companies, dancers and choreographers from more than 20 countries to present a fascinating survey of contemporary dance world-wide.
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Foreign Affairs, Berliner Festspiele, Germany 2015 Front Page
International Performing Arts Festival ended July 5
By: - Jul 08th, 2015Artistic Director Matthias von Hartz offered a 'Gesamtkunstwerk,' combining performance and visual arts aspects during the ten day long festival. Included were the 24 hour long lasting 'Mount Olympus' by Belgian director/choreographer Jan Fabre with Troubleyn Company. Then, Tim Etchells and Forced Entertainment offered 'Complete Works: Table Top Shakespeare' - all 36 Shakespeare plays, reduced to each 45 minute plots, over nine days. A stunning success! As intended, performers and audiences were challenged to their limits.
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European International Book Art Biennale Front Page
Bucharest, Romania with Artists from 22 Countries - Until June 30, 2015
By: - Jun 24th, 201580 artists from 22 countries are currently participating in an art book exhibition in Bucharest, which is following the 2014 Moskow, Russia, Biennale. Organizers are the National Association for Visual Contemporary Arts in Romania and D. Fleiss & East West Artists Association of Germany. A program with daily events adds to the exhibition's lively cultural activities.
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TransCultural Exchange Conference 2013 Fine Arts
4th Conference in Boston
By: - Oct 20th, 2013The four day conference ended on October 13. It was titled: International Opportunities in the Arts: Engaging Minds and drew more than 400 artists, administrators and participants from many art related venues worldwide. An exhilarating experience!
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250 Year Old Southern Live Oak Tree Photography
Hosting Epiphytes: Spanish Moss and Resurrection Fern
By: - Sep 27th, 2013A series of photographs with a short report will remain on the BFA Project Space. These 16 photos were a gift, received from a very old Southern Oak Tree and the people, who care for the massive tree, hanging Spanish Moss and Resurrection Fern.
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2013 Conference by TransCultural Exchange Fine Arts
Engaging Minds Worldwide in Boston, October 10 – 13
By: - Sep 21st, 2013This will be the fourth biannual conference presented by TransCultural Exchange. Always dynamic programming will offer again a slew of options to participate, connect with people from around the globe, get energized and enthusiastic about career and the State of the Arts.
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'COLORS' by Sarah Sutro Fine Arts
Reflections on Planet Earth and Art
By: - Jul 04th, 2011Sarah Sutro is a painter, writer and poet. Her latest publication, COLORS, Passages through Art, Asia and Nature was published in 2010. This one hundred page book offers one thousand bits of wisdom, knowledge and information about living thoughtfully, carefully and well - here and abroad.
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Honoring Otto Piene at Grand Palais, Paris Fine Arts
Conference and Monograph Presentation
By: - May 06th, 2011Otto Piene's close to 800 page monograph, by publisher Ante Glibota of Delight Edition, Paris, was recently introduced at City Hall in Duesseldorf, Germany. Now,a conference, honoring Otto Piene and his life's work, will be held at the Grand Palais in Paris, on May 17. It will be a grand affair!
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International Arts Opportunities Wrap Up 2011 Fine Arts
Conference: TransCultural Exchange - Part Two
By: - May 03rd, 2011The article reports about the last two days of an extensive and exhausting or exhilarating conference. Again, included are direct links to many organizations, universities and speakers from around the world.
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Wrap Up TransCultural Exchange Conference 2011 Fine Arts
International Opportunities in the Arts - Part One
By: - Apr 29th, 2011The third conference, presented byTransCultural Exchange in Boston, closed on Sunday, April 10 to great applause for director, Mary Sherman, sponsors, board members, staff and volunteers. It was again a phenomenal effort with participants from around the world. If you were not in the position to attend the conference, but have ambitions to exhibit or work internationally, or attend national or international retreats, residencies or symposia, please also read this article. It includes a number of hyperlinks to organizations and websites for easy research.
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Boston is Happening in April Fine Arts
International Art Conference and Two Film Festivals
By: - Apr 04th, 2011BFA recently previewed the conference on International Opportunities in the Arts, which TransCultural Exchange is presenting from April 7 - 10. Then, the International Film Festival will be held from April 15 - 24 (BIFF) and the Independent Film Festival (IFF) will follow at the end of the month, from April 24 - May 4.
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Monograph: Otto Piene by Ante Glibota Fine Arts
Book Launch at Duesseldorf City Hall
By: - Mar 19th, 2011It has taken longer than I recall, twenty-three years, for a major publication to be presented in Duesseldorf, Germany. The book was printed in Italy with 3000 exquisite illustrations; many photographs were never published before. The text is bilingual, English and German, and includes thirty-seven essays by internationally renowned art historians, art theorists and artists. These, of course, are in addition to Glibota and Piene's essays. The book is presented in 756 pages.
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