"Basically, you don't have to go to any great lengths to like the city"

Jan Kummer

To describe Jan Kummer as the "grey eminence" behind Chemnitz's cultural and subcultural scene would not do him justice and he would not like to hear that either. The fact is, however, that in him Chemnitz has a culture maker with cosmopolitan aspirations whose activities are difficult to compare, let alone categorise. As an artist, Kummer sees himself as a doer who doesn't get up in the morning and think about how to get through the day, but rather how he can make the day useful to him. This drives him forwards, if you like, without any pretence of wanting to be restless. Rather, it is his ability to recognise the potential in things and bring it to light. This applies not only to his work as a visual artist. He also recognises and promotes the potential of people and places. This is why the Atomino project still exists, despite all the adverse circumstances. We meet Jan on a sunny day in the garden of his house in Bernsdorf and during the conversation it's easy to imagine how the boys who rock the big stages today used to ride their scooters and bikes here. A relaxed but no less interesting conversation develops about art, Chemnitz and various possibilities.

Whenever you take a closer look at the city's clubs, its music scene or its subculture, you can't help but notice Jan Kummer. How does something like this come about?
Jan Kummer: It's always a process. It starts relatively unspectacularly and if, like me, you're pretty local, then it just happens at some point after all these years. Then you look back and realise with amazement where you've had your fingers in the pie. And the fact that a large part of this has now happened within one city was also not planned in principle. Like many other things, it just happened. But it's not as if you start it in any way with the firm intention or plan of ticking off this and that culturally.

Is Chemnitz a special place where something like this can develop particularly well? Or could it happen somewhere else?
That's difficult to say. It's common knowledge that there are interesting scenes everywhere - thank goodness. The only thing I have to say is this: I'm not a big fan of centralism. In this respect, I always liked the West German model in GDR times, where one country allowed several centres. I always liked the fact that there was Munich with its attractive scene, Hamburg, Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, so I've always been a fan of things that come from the supposed provinces. So in particular not from the overpowering Berlin, but also from Chemnitz, from a corner of Germany where you wouldn't expect it.

Does Chemnitz absolutely have to play at the top or is it actually well positioned as it is now?
That's always a question of approach. There were also predecessors of mine in the "Doer of the week" section who said: "Guys, please keep your cool. Chemnitz is half the size of Leipzig or Dresden." I can understand the argument, but I'm not a fan of it. I always like it when people act as if Chemnitz is a big cosmopolitan city or always follow this plan with what they do. That it's not so modest, so self-effacing because you're from Chemnitz. It's about saying, to be quite impertinent now: We're trying to make a programme here that could also work in New York. I always find that more appealing, but of course it doesn't always work for various reasons or because the city is perhaps too small for some things. But I think this endeavour to always at least do something metropolitan is very good. And whether it's visual arts or music and the Atomino, for example - you don't measure yourself against any small-town offerings, but try to do it in such a way that you say: this place could also be in Berlin and work there too.

You've already moved the Atomino a few times for various reasons. How do you manage not to think about giving up?
Well, you just do it because you care about the thing itself. We have sometimes broken it down to this very simple reason: We have a shop there, we like going there ourselves. If we don't do that, there's a risk that the shop will no longer exist. So we carry on. You could also quit if you lose interest, but then someone else should take over. It would be good if the thing continued to exist - despite all the difficulties. That's what it's designed for.

I really want to talk to you again about the AG Geige. There are already a lot of legends about it. What role did you play in the AG Geige?
I was one of the protagonists of the formation. I was there from the beginning to the end and was a singer and operated various small effect devices, but first and foremost I was a singer and lyricist. If you can call it that, "singer". We never saw ourselves as a music band, but rather as an art project.

The AG Geige was already a GDR project, it would probably only have worked like that in the GDR. Would you agree with that? Looking back, what does that mean to you today?
The more time passes, the prouder I am that I took part in it. Sometimes that's a good thing when there's a period of time in between. And now, looking back, also in connection with the DVD that is now coming out and will be available in stores from August - you also have a kind of caesura, a look back with the documentary film. In retrospect, I found it a very interesting project.

Can you briefly describe the AG Geige once again?
It was a multimedia project by various artists, the music was a component. An important one, but it was only one component. There was also visual art, film, the texts played a major role and, above all, the multimedia performances, which were always combined in the best case with films specially cut together for the music. The aim was to create an overall picture. Inevitably, we had difficulties putting everything together again afterwards, because so little could be documented in the GDR, especially visually. But we succeeded quite well with the film in showing the complexity of the matter again.

Were there any plans to try this again? Also in connection with the DVD?
Not from our side. That's the nice thing about the story: for us it was a finished product and we were very happy with it. Everyone is still doing interesting things and that's why none of us felt the urgent need to do a reunion. It suited the time, it had its importance and now I wouldn't do it live any more.

The "free music scene" already seems to be a Chemnitz characteristic. Why is it so difficult to capitalise on it?
Well, it does work. It depends on what specific demands you have. The supra-regional, major success is also linked to coincidences and favourable developments. It's not easy anywhere. Not all bands are extremely successful by any means, but that doesn't mean that they aren't important within their city. One problem, however - and this is something that unites many cities, especially in the east - is a lack of infrastructure, for example in terms of media. In the east, and in Chemnitz in particular, it is difficult for a formation to reach the outside world. There is a lack of national media that could accompany them. The entire East German music press disappeared with the reunification and it is apparently extremely difficult to ever rebuild something like that. That's the only thing where I have to say that an East German band generally has a harder time than West German bands. There are still a few centres there where there is also a press and where there was never this cut, that a complete media landscape, especially in terms of music and art in general, has broken away and not been rebuilt.

If you were to really take up such an idea and create a music magazine here in Chemnitz or for south-west Saxony, would there be enough material and enough bands in the region?
Yes, I think so. It has generally been said that the future of normal print media lies in a certain regionalisation. People are interested in what's happening locally. On the other hand, I would say that the justified criticism that the media in the eastern German states in particular are so poorly represented when it comes to art and culture can now be made up for via the internet and blogs. Now you can establish a music blog or a culture and art blog without much effort. Now it's up to the people themselves. You could actually bring up this argument again and say: well, if that bothers you, why don't you set up one of these things? It's no longer the case that you need a lot of money to realise a project like this. Now you could slowly fill that gap again.

You're a versatile person. You're not just a musician, you also make visual art and have had various exhibitions. What drives you during the day?
I don't know. It's almost pure habit. I've been in the public eye in one way or another since I was 16 and I've done things ranging from exhibitions to music, writing, DJing and organising. You grow into it and it's your daily bread. In my case, it's dealing with things like that.

Now I have to start "with K". Based on your experience as a concert organiser: after the departure of "Splash" from the city, does it make sense to try to establish a festival like this again with the Kosmonaut Festival?
On the one hand, there are enough festivals that now take place on "greenfield sites", so to speak. And I find that interchangeable. I think it's a really good idea to always link a festival to a city so that it's not so interchangeable, but always has something to do with the surrounding city. A city always offers docking opportunities for a festival. That it becomes a kind of unique selling point in connection with the municipality. It's a bit like the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig - you can't imagine it without Leipzig. You can't just transplant it to any other city.
For many people, the departure of Splash was like an open wound that was never closed. I could imagine that the city and those responsible for it could no longer hear it: "Why did you let the 'Splash' go?" Everyone will basically be glad that things are finally moving on there - after this ignominious departure. It's a blessing for the city that a new festival is now being established. Just as it was a huge mistake to let "Splash" go. And for the festival itself, I think it's also very clever to tie in with something that has already existed before and with a city.

What is special about the Kosmonaut Festival? And what is the link to the "Kosmonaut" in Chemnitz?
The fact that most of the festival organisers are from Chemnitz. That there are also overlaps with people who were already doing it back then. They're from Chemnitz and they know the sensitivities of Chemnitz. And they've deliberately made another attempt to establish a festival here because they also care about the city. Some of them really grew up with the "Splash" festival back then. There's a whole generation from Chemnitz that grew up with the "Splash".

Two days before the start and I have to ask the question: The secret headliners - wouldn't now be the opportunity to come out with them exclusively? Or do I have no chance?
No chance. No chance, and thank God I'm not the Kosmonaut Festival.

But you do have connections to it.
Yes, yes. But I think it's excellent to follow through with such ideas mercilessly and really not say anything to anyone.

I have to come back to the term "home" with you. What does home mean to you? Is Chemnitz a home for you?
Yes, of course it is. I have my family here, I have my friends here, I know my way around here very well. I've already done a lot here in the city and, for better or worse, there are always advantages to knowing your way around somewhere. I quite like the fact that, even if you're cosmopolitan in all your endeavours, you still have roots somewhere. And I think that's important and I always have to say: you shouldn't take it so bloody seriously. If you look at it from this perspective, I would consider myself a local patriot. It's always very appealing to support this city. There is neither a charming half-timbered quarter, nor gigantic sons or daughters of the city that you can always point to. There are no streams of tourists who absolutely want to come to Chemnitz because of any special features. Even the river that flows through Chemnitz is more of a little stream. Basically, it's very difficult to discover anything powerful, which is what Chemnitz represents for foreigners. Basically, you don't have to go to any great lengths to find the city good. It is precisely this appeal of completely ignoring the city's supposed Cinderella image and trying to do things that are effective beyond the region. That is perhaps even more appealing than doing it in a city where everything is already marked out anyway, because there are gigantic composers, poets and royal courts, architectural features or a beautiful river that somehow goes that way, or a huge lake-something or other. It's all a bit different here. The Ore Mountains are not the Alps. The Chemnitz is not the Elbe or the Danube. No matter what you look at: It's all a bit "Well, it's not bad, but there's always something better."

Is living in Chemnitz rather exhausting or interesting?
I find it interesting. I've said this before in another interview: the funny thing about me is that I was born in Weimar. And I have all my relatives there. In this respect, I know a city that, unlike Chemnitz, is really characterised by: "Oh, that's a beautiful city centre. A beautiful city centre, wonderful parks, Goethe and Schiller, Wagner was once there too." Where everything is there and you have tourists and everyone says: "But Weimar is beautiful." For me, it's just very boring in cities like that. Everything is overshadowed by powerful stories and a powerful history. You kind of lose the desire to break it down because it's so overpowering. And Chemnitz doesn't have anything like that. And I see that as an advantage in this case. And then you have to say quite simply: Chemnitz is pretty well located. It's located between Dresden and Leipzig, so if the ceiling falls on your head, you can travel to another city.

Do you have to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
Not to the people I know in Chemnitz. They're usually pretty active and do their things. I'm not at all familiar with this encouraging thing. There hasn't been anything yet where I've had to say: I failed because of Chemnitz. I'm not familiar with that. You could also put it this way: Chemnitz has always been a city of exports. For example, I am very pleased that Galerie Borssenanger, which represents me here in Chemnitz, has a branch in Hamburg. I really like the fact that the sign above the shop reads: "Galerie Borssenanger. Chemnitz - Hamburg." And that's always the right way to go. We once organised a series of events with the Atomino in Hamburg. We cheekily called it: "Chemnitz helps Hamburg." There was this gentrification discussion and problems in Hamburg and we also thought: these problems are not so acute here in Chemnitz, now we should help the people of Hamburg with a cultural programme. And this is an example of that: I would always like to turn the tables. And then you realise in this whole club landscape that clubs in Berlin or Hamburg are also closing down. And then others open up elsewhere. It's not a problem specific to Chemnitz that there are disputes and that you sometimes lose. The decisive factor is whether it continues. And then the clubs there often have completely different problems than cultural institutions in Chemnitz. They sometimes have the problem of being overrun by tourists, for example, who behave badly and have no respect for the venues. And they think they're a terrible audience. We don't have that problem! For a while I had the feeling that the impression was always given: A change of location makes everything better or more successful. The decisive factor is really the ideas and the energy you have and it doesn't really matter which city you're in. It's not easy to get things done anywhere.