Mike Litt in conversation with Dr. Catherine Nichols

How's it going, Düsseldorf?

Our podcast "Alle Rhein" for culture in times of Corona. What Mike Litt wants to know: How did the talk guests perceive the surreal times? What has changed for them? What projects are they working on now?
In episode 26, Mike talks to Dr. Catherine Nichols.

Dr. Catherine Nichols is an art and literature scholar - and artistic director of the beuys 2021 anniversary year. She completed her doctorate at the University of New South Wales in Sydney in 2001. In Australia, her home country, she became interested in German literature at an early age. However, she was initially only aware of the artist of the century Joseph Beuys. Over the years, however, Beuys and his art became the focus of her work.

Catherine Nichols is currently the curator of the anniversary exhibition at the K20 in Düsseldorf to mark Beuys' 100th birthday. The exhibition "Everyone is an artist" approaches Joseph Beuys in a unique and surprising way. The show demonstrates that Beuys' messages and demands have lost none of their topicality.

Catherine Nichols is one of the people particularly associated with the charismatic visionary during the Beuys Year. She is also one of the directors of the laboratory "Plastic Democracy. The Forms of We" and the radio and podcast series "beuysradio". In this edition of "Alle Rhein!", Dr. Catherine Nichols talks to Mike Litt about her special relationship with the exceptional artist, his home on the Lower Rhine and how she experiences Düsseldorf.

Our host

Mike Litt was born in the US state of Virginia and lived in Bochum for many years. The globetrotter usually works in Cologne but lives with his family in the beautiful Düsseltal district of Düsseldorf. He is a radio presenter (1Live, WDR 2, DLF Nova), a DJ with Mayday festival experience and an author (‘The loneliest DJ in the world’). For our podcast, he holds fascinating conversations with other people from Düsseldorf’s cultural scene.

Photos
Cover: © Photo: Dr. Catherine Nichols
Mike Litt: © [email protected]
Music / Sound: Christian Moster / Mike Litt