The Nigerian German writer Olumide Popoola, born 1975 in Neuss, is part of a burgeoning African German cultural scene. As a poet she weaves her different voices into complex, politically charged spoken-word performances. Her themes are political conflict and issues of national identity, but also experiences of space and of healing. She has performed internationally as a solo artist and in ensemble collaborating with musicians, visual and performance artists and other poets. Her deliverance is inspired by different forms of expression such as Hip Hop, Jazz Poetry and African story telling traditions.
In Germany she is known especially in connection to the anthology ‘Talking Home (see below) and for her innovative work with the collective 'ms lady pride productions' which she founded in 2000. Here, artist of colour (and foremost women) of all discipline were brought together, challenging forms of artistic expression.
In 2004 Olumide Popoola won the May Ayim Prize for Poetry, the first International Black German Literary Award. http://www.afritopic.com/afritopic-may-ayim-award.htm
With Beldan Sezen she edited the book 'Talking Home. Heimat aus unserer eigenen Feder. Frauen of Color in Deutschland', blue moon press, Amsterdam 1999.
'Talking Home' became an important anthology, moving many as it was the first book bringing together creative writing explicitly by women of colour in a German context.
Her work has been published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies since 1988 in Germany, Slovenia, South Africa and Nigeria.
Academic analysis about her work has been published as early as 1999, for instance in "Aufbrueche, kulturelle Produktionen von Migrantinnen, Schwarzen und juedischen Frauen in Deutschland" (Ulrike Helmer Verlag 1999, Gelbin, Konuk und Piesche (Ed.).
Olumide Popoola’s work has been featured on various radio programs in Germany, the Netherlands and Slovenia and she has appeared on different TV programs with her work in Germany. Her fragment 'this is not about sadness' has been translated to Czech.
Recent work:
In 2006 she was invited on a performance and reading tour in the US organized by the conference 'Remapping Black Germany, new perspectives on Afro German history, politics and culture' in conjunction with the Goethe Institute Boston.
In 2007 she was fortunate to work with Pops Mohamed in Norway.
A feature of her is portrayed in the present exhibition and accompanying catalogue 'Home story Deutschland. Schwarze Biografien in Geschichte und Gegenwart.'
- 'Home story Germany, Black Biographies in Past and Present' as one of the Black personalities leaving an impact on the life in Germany.
She holds a BSc in Ayurvedic Medicine and lives in London.
"Ms. Popoola has a professional voice fit for the stage and broadcasting and thus by far exceeds the usual quality of readings given by authors. In addition, her great musicality allows her to deliver her poetry in wonderful interaction with music. Though subtle in spirit, her work appeals to any lay audience and is at once driven by strong emotional content and cool intellectual irony. Her work addresses her complex background and experiences as a bicultural Nigerian German but is not limited to political reflections on identity. It also displays a great deal of humor, satire and lyricism, speaking to contemporary life in general."
Matthias Konzett, Tufts University 2006
