Max Mueller Bhavan at 50

Max Mueller Bhavan is 50. Here’s what’s next

As an organisation, Max Mueller Bhavan (MMB), needs no introduction. Now, in its fiftieth year in India, MMB plans to expand its scope of activities across the country. Open spoke to Prof Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, president of Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan:

Q How do you plan to make Max Mueller Bhavan an even stronger entity in India?

A We want to use the Indian network of Max Mueller Bhavans for local activities. The projects that we have planned are going to be larger, more visible and highly concentrated. This will become evident after the golden jubilee celebrations that will take place until March 2010 in various metros in India.

Q There is a drastic revolution that is taking place in Indian art and culture. How is MMB contributing to this change?

A Over the last fifty years of our presence in India, we have nurtured long-term partnerships with cultural institutions and have assisted in the upgrade of cultural infrastructure in the country. There is a huge change happening in India, especially urban India. The arts reflect these changes. We try to react to these changes in different ways: by expanding in India with new centres in Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram.

Q The former East and West Germany were known for their very distinct art forms. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, how have the two genres of art influenced each other?

A Though both sides had very individualistic art forms, they were united in their openness. The unification of Germany itself was a cultural achievement as no weapons were used. The two sides shared the same history but 50 years of the wall led to different experiences. The biographies of the East and West diverged. I saw that happen in my family as my grandparents, aunts and cousins were in East Germany and I was in the West. I saw myself as a link between the two and this helped me immensely in work.

Max Mueller Bhavan