Munich Biennale performances postponed due to COVID-19

"Due to the ubiquitous effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Munich Biennale 2020 will for the first time become a dynamic festival. Premieres that cannot be released in Munich in May 2020 due to the pandemic will be premiered at a different time," Munich Biennale said. 

"The Munich Biennale will not stream performance-replacement pieces. It will not go online as a whole. The Internet is used primarily to provide impulses for later, physically real performance situations."

This year's programme included performances by Senegalese rappers Keyti and Xuman who were scheduled to showcase Journal Rappé – a news programme that relays often complex social, economic and political information through the hip hop idiom.

The duo was programmed for 10 daily live episodes of the show at Studio Muffatwerk between 16 and 25 May, and a final performance at the Ampere nightclub on 29 May.

Munich Biennale says is will host an online opening event on 15 May at 6pm (GMT+2), which will be streamed live via its website and social media pages. 

The event will feature speeches by the cultural officer of the city of Munich, Anton Biebl, and artistic directors Daniel Ott and Manos Tsangaris. 

Video messages from Munich Biennale's 2020 artists will also be aired, including a recorded version of the first episode of Journal Rappé's 10-part series. Episodes 2 to 10 of Journal Rappé will be streamed from 16 to 24 May at 6pm, respectively.

The participation of Journal Rappé at the Munich Biennale 2020 is supported through a partnership between the Music In Africa Foundation, Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut.