Almost 100 years after Josephine Baker's first performance in Berlin this catalogue reflects
on her unparalleled artistry in dance her inspirational role as a resistance fighter and civil
rights activist and her lasting influence on contemporary artists. In 1925 26 Josephine Baker
appeared for the first time with the Revue Nègre at the Nelson Theater on Kurfürstendamm
Berlin. Reflecting on this upcoming centennial and therefore on the history of the 20th century
this publication honours Baker's artistry in dance music film amongst other disciplines and
her inspirational role not only as an artist but also as a resistance fighter civil rights
activist and transformative cultural figure. Contributions of contemporary artists visualize
the lasting inspiration that the figure of Josephine Baker maintains to this day. The catalogue
further reflects on the changed role of the African-American artist in our contemporary
discourse and how we describe and collectively imagine historical and present-day persons
personae. Text: Terri Simone Francis.
