The performative discussion UNEXPECTED LESSONS deals artistically and scientifically with the decolonisation of memory and knowledge, with knowledge forms and practices of the African continent and questions about classical museum forms of preservation and presentation. It will take place in parallel in Berlin, Nairobi and in digital space as part of the TALKING OBJECTS LAB. In English. Live stream on 11 and 12 June 2021.

The 22nd poesiefestival berlin celebrates European poetry in its diversity of forms and languages, and builds poetic bridges across the continent despite the pandemic. The online festival will open with “Weltklang – Night of Poetry”. Fiston Mwanza Mujila will present an anthology on the poetry of the Black Diaspora in Europe. Selected productions will be shown as videos at Hanseatenweg. Live streams: 11 – 17 June 2021.

Cultural memory is the basis of humanity’s future, and the arts and cultural institutions have a decisive role to play in this. The exhibition illuminates different aspects of the culture of memory with featuring 13 commissioned works by contemporary artists and 15 exemplary selected exhibits from the Akademe der Künste’s archives.

Every year, the Visual Arts Section presents the work of one of its members at the Kurt Tucholsky Literaturmuseum. This year's exhibition is dedicated to Richard Deacon and focuses on his new ceramic works. The sculptor, known for his experiments with materials, is interested in the interplay of control and chance in the creation of the coloured glazes as surfaces.

Berlin architect, urban planner and long-time Akademie President Werner Düttmann (1921-1983) was born 100 years ago, on 6 March 1921. As part of the Düttmann exhibition of the Brücke Museum, a presentation on his special relationship to the Akademie der Künste – to the building as well as to the institution – will be shown in the foyer.

The Akademie der Künste and its Archives are a place of artistic memory work. On the occasion of its 325th anniversary, the Akademie is engaging in a new process of reflecting on its own institution as memory storage. The extensive main programme revolves around a number of event series and a central exhibition with 13 commissioned works by contemporary artists.

A digital showcase affords an insight into the extensive holdings of the Archives of the Akademie der Künste. digital.adk.de. encompasses all art forms and archives of outstanding artists in the German-speaking world and makes them accessible. The varied stories of ownership of selected paintings and sculptures in the art collection are presented here.

The Akademie der Künste is an international community of artists that currently totals 404 members in its six Sections (Visual Arts, Architecture, Music, Literature, Performing Arts, Film and Media Arts). It is an exhibition and event location. A key component of the Akademie are its archives, which collectively form one of the most important interdisciplinary archives on 20th century art.