zwinger x songs of gastarbeiter

»Songs of Gastarbeiter« is a pop-cultural portrait of a generation to whom Germany owes much of its economic miracle, yet whose social reality remains misunderstood. In his lecture—or »commented DJ set«—theater artist Bülent Kullukçu sheds light on musical treasures that deserve a bigger stage in Germany and must not be lost. He focuses on the pioneers who used their music to address their living and working conditions, presenting themselves not only as sufferers but also as combative and ironic, and who were astute observers of German society and politics—or simply wanted to party!

Bülent Kullukçu is a director, author, composer, visual artist, actor, and musician. Together with author İmran Ayata, he released the compilations »Songs of Gastarbeiter« Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. To do so, the two dug through archives and combed through the music collections of their parents and friends to find songs by the first generation of immigrants. These albums are musically diverse, bringing together political protest songs as well as dance music, and serve as a call to action against a misguided notion of homogeneity.