Indra Wussow
© Dmitrij Leltschuk
The Sylt Foundation initiates and supports innovative contemporary literary, visual art and performance projects with the aim to encourage cultural dialogue and artistic interaction.
With its residency programmes it offers those international multi-disciplinary artists, performers and writers the opportunity to live and work in the quiet environment on the island of Sylt, in Johannesburg or at other places, where the Foundation works together with its partners.
Residencies are one or two months long and every resident should either work on his own project/reflection or on a project of the Sylt Foundation.
We are a small team so please be aware that direct applications will not be accepted and won't be answered.
About the woman behind
Indra Wussow, born in Herford/Germany, studied Comparative Literature and German as a Foreign Language in Erlangen/Germany, Berkeley/USA and Florence/Italy. She is currently living in Johannesburg and Sylt/Germany and is working as a curator, writer and literary translator.
2002 Indra founded the private Sylt Foundation on the island of Sylt in the North of Germany, which is financed by means of donations, government funds and sponsoring. Indra is director and curator of the foundation. In 2008 its branch in Johannesburg was opened.
Besides Indra Wussow is the editor of a series of contemporary African Literature, which is published in the small but prestigous German publishing house „Das Wunderhorn“. As a curator Indra is working with various international institutions.
Interview with Indra Wussow, Classic feel 9/2013:
Please provide a brief history of yourself, as well as your current position or involvement in the arts.
As a specialist in literary studies, translator and curator, I have been part of the literary world for some time now and felt that one should use one’s professional skills an dedication to help art to flourish and offer talented artists the opportunities to work, think and reflect. This is why I founded a residency and art centre on the island of Sylt, where professional artists in all fields are given the chance to reflect, develop ideas and write. As global exchange of ideas and the dichotomy of the urban and rural provide contrasts and insights that can result in unique projects and art work, we extended the programme and founded a subsidiary in Johannesburg in 2008.(…)
What are your organisation’s long-term goals regarding the arts and community development?
One goal would definitely be a closer collaboration with state-run institutions to optimise the support of the arts. Another is to make reading literature more populare again, and to help to make books and texts accessible to everyone. Another project of mine is to foster the dialogue between the Arts and Science, and I would also like to establish a “Cultural Salon” in Johannesburg.
How to support the foundation
The foundation is run on a voluntary basis and donations are important to keep the programme going. If you want to support our work please feel free to make a donation on our account
1204.100.200
at Volksbank Lübbecker Land eG
BLZ 49092650
IBAN DE79 4909 2650 1204 1002 00
BIC GENODEM1LUB
A donation receipt will be issued.
