GRIE´SOSS #6: Deutsche Menschen
Adorno meets Graz und der kunstraum_8020 meets die herbstvermittlung
(GRIE´SOSS #6: German People
Adorno Meets Graz and kunstraum_8020 Meets herbst education)

kunstraum_8020 was founded in 2018 in 8020 Graz and has since been organizing events centered on Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) in urban space. Since 2021, its artistic director, Eva Brede, has hosted the annual GRIE’SOSS’ series: a bit of Walter Benjamin and a bit of Theodor W. Adorno with some homemade Grie’ Soß’, a traditional dish from Frankfurt that, like the Frankfurt School, enjoys cult status. The event takes place at various locations; this time in 8010 Graz.

GRIE’SOSS’#6 focuses on Deutsche Menschen (German People), a book with a deliberately misleading title that Benjamin was able to publish in Nazi Germany in 1936 under the name Detlev Holz. That same year, Adorno—using the pseudonym Hektor Rottweiler—wrote critical essays on jazz.

In 1967, Adorno was also in Graz for the unofficial first edition of steirischer herbst—under his real name and with a lecture on the theory of art criticism.

A wonderful occasion for the GRIE’SOSS’#6 collaboration: First, we’ll stroll through Graz from a reconstructed Adornoian perspective (visiting “German” sites), with or without herbst commentary, guided and inspired by passages from Benjamin’s Deutsche Menschen. This is followed by a conversation between Dietmar Reinbacher (head of herbst education) and Eva Brede (head of kunstraum_8020) about how the GRIE’SOSS’ series came to be. Subsequently, there is music by Yvonne Hofmeister (Graz) and Flora Könemann (Berlin), including special drinks, homemade Grie’ Soß’, artist editions, and a guaranteed lovely afternoon or pleasant evening.

Saturday, 23.5.

• 15:00–16:30, meeting place: Oper Graz, eastern facade (Kaiser-Josef-Markt)
  City tour with Eva Brede (artistic director of kunstraum_8020)
  
  
• 17:00–18:00, meeting place: Café Famoos im Unicorn (university district)
  Dietmar Reinbacher (head of herbst education) in conversation with Eva Brede: talk on the project and the artist edition series GRIE’SOSS’ and die berliner pflanze, based on research in Graz as well as Berlin and Frankfurt
  
  
• 18:00–19:00
  Musical interpretation of the artist editions by Yvonne Hofmeister (Graz) and Flora Könemann (Berlin)
  
  
• 19:00–22:00
  Conclusion with music, special drinks, and homemade (vegan) Grie’ Soß’

On Sunday, 31.5., we offer the city tour a second time.

• 15:00–16:30, meeting place: Oper Graz, eastern facade (Kaiser-Josef-Markt)
  City tour with Eva Brede (artistic director of kunstraum_8020)