Back to the Future

Taking cues from the events that shaped today’s history in 1980-81 all across the world (economic revolution in the US,Greek crisis,strikes in Poland and radicalisation of Islam in Iran among others),Diez and Roth’s project preempts the future. They believe that “knowledge in 2081 is lost and this material is rediscovered and people want to make sense of the changes,” says Diez. Hence,every speaker puts up a presentation through a medium of their choice,depicting what the world will be a century later.

For its India context,theatre person Maya Krishna Rao will present an imagined history on the mass suicide of men,Suman Sridhar will have a musical performance,and Sheba Chhacchi will share material on activism and protests,among others. This event also expects participation from the audience for its “collective global archive”.

People will have to submit one object they possess at the venue,which will be archived in real time by a team in Berlin “who will speculate and send back a story about the object’s future,” says Diez. Day two will see a walk from Hall of Nations (Pragati Maidan,gate 7) to Lotus Temple,both structures that were built between ’70s-’80s.

On March 2,“2081 What Happened” will be held at Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan from 1 pm to 6 pm. On March 3,the walk will begin at The Hall of Nations,Pragati Maidan at 11 am. Entry is free; register at: menke@delhi.goethe.org