No blurring, no kissing at sunset, no violins. At the heart of Max Czollek’s new anthology Gute Enden lies sadness—as well as the question of how humanity became what it is today. How can it be that the hope of leaving the destructive twentieth century behind can currently seem so futile? From Friedrichshain to Florida, via Vancouver and Pompei to Prague and Tel Aviv: the poetic persona encounters traces of this hope everywhere, entrepots for visions of humanity that have become toxic and were discarded. The host of the discussion series Overcoming the Present has written a collection of poetry for the time after the happy endings—an anthology for the present.

After Czollek’s reading, Balagan Sisters take up this impulse. The DJ duo of Berlin-based sisters and artists Tohu Wabohu and Esri Meshugga make music for the present. Based on their biographical roots in Tunisia and Turkey, and influenced by their experiences in India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Balkans, Balagan Sisters combine electronic beats with playful sounds and create a unique sound panorama in their sets.