1 How does it feel to be a cultural award winner of Emmen?

This is a difficult question. I have been just for a few days. In my experience, feelings are something that we only perceive afterwards through reflection. If they even exist as we think they do. Feelings are perhaps closest to emotions or maybe the same. Finally, we are able to use infinite variations of words for the same thing. And actually we just want to understand each other. Emotions have been challenging me all my life. Motion means movement and in this sense it moves me to deal with them. But a movement can go in all directions, so I have to make sure that it doesn’t go in the wrong direction. Yes, it moves me, it makes me more upright and drives me additionally. What I have done so far seems to be not only misunderstood art. Apparently I am on the right track. To get an award is always something beautiful. It flatters me. It gives me a lift. I feel understood and perceived. That’s probably what everyone wants. Maybe that’s exactly what I will pass on to people even more with my art. This is probably what every human being wants, to receive a boost through such a prize.

2 To what extent have you shaped and promoted the art scene in Emmen?

At first I was supported in Emmen. Kurt Wiprächtiger, my 5th/6th grade primary teacher recognized my potential or we understood each other, however it was exactly. Our class was very good in handball and we finally became the runner-up Swiss champion. I somehow understood his great experience in sports and was able to continue to use it in my life. After all, you don’t only fight your weaker self in sports. What I no longer see as a fight. Rather as an acceptance. Dancing is much more beautiful than fighting and achieves the same goal with more energy than before, instead of losing it in a fight. My first music teacher, Mr. Löffel, in the secondary school in Gersag, showed me that nobody ate knowledge with a spoon and that everybody can learn to play instruments by themselves. My secondary class teacher, Mr. Waltert, explained to me that with a poem we can tell something or give something to people. And from Faruk Muslijevic I understood that there are no mistakes in music, only rules of the game. After all, I was never really hindered in my art by my parents, which would otherwise be the normal case: who wants a poor artist as a son. I was even encouraged. And very important until now were Angela and Lili, who have more than supported me. Without Angela I would probably never be where I am now and without Lili I would never have achieved as much.

I do not feel that Emmen has an art scene. Maybe since the NF49. Maybe I just didn’t belong and didn’t realize that there was one. How I shaped it, I can’t judge. I think, if I did, I still do. For example through the unconventional newsletters of our music and art agency Die Diebe and with the Naturfreundehaus in Brünig, which is an art and cultural place in the making. I see art as the most free scientific form and not as self-realization, as it is often understood. And because I am not alone, I try to make the world a better place. So it automatically becomes philosophy. In this sense I certainly shape my surroundings.

3 Since 2012 the municipality of Emmen has been awarding the culture prize. What do you think ist it, that you of all people were nominated and elected this year?

Maybe exactly because I see art as a science and not as self-realization. Since spring it has become more difficult to realize oneself. Or maybe it’s just coincidence. For me, it’s all about finding solutions. When I was on the residents’ council in Emmen, I saw a completely different picture of our democracy than we actually learn or believe it to be. We believe in the ideal case and reality is quite different. That’s why I had the idea of the Non-elected Party (DNGP.ch). It takes the votes that are not used. And therefore it is automatically the strongest party. It shows the weaknesses of the real existing democracy. In my art and with the collective Die Diebe we try to make our world better or at least to show how it could be better or where the catch lies. Maybe this has been seen. Although we are called Die Diebe. We were also present at the beginning of Emmen am See and are happy to continue to accompany it. Impossible is only what is considered impossible.

4 Do you already have a plan what you want to do with the prize money?

Yes, I will invest it in our fresh culture house. Which will ultimately benefit everyone. The naturefriends are democratic-socialist built. This may be the future.

5 What are you particularly proud of in your professional or private career?

That I am where I am. Private and professional life are terms I understand but I can’t do much with them. I am alive and have seemingly endless possibilities. Right and wrong is determined by society. Somewhere in between we are happy and money is our only material hurdle. Maybe there is one thing I am especially proud of: that I am lucky to live with the people I love.

6 What does the future hold for you? Do you have certain visions?

Everything is possible. That is why we can think about what we really need and what is not necessary. We call ourselves the crowning glory of creation. Thus it is possible to consciously have a life worth living. Life is not and doesn’t need to be torture. We can make a fence around our house and so we are safe from all land animals. We have an immune system that only works when we are not under stress. We can build a door at the fence and write a loving and amiable greeting. The Naturefriends House on the Brünig will be a meeting, recreation and work place for artists. There will be rooms to work on a book, take a creative break or get inspired. A music studio is available for musicians. You can stay overnight here and devote yourself fully to creative work. Without the distractions of a big city.

7 you are a very committed person. Where do you take all your energy from? What motivates you?

I don’t know if it is finite or infinite. Everything is alive and full of energy. Except at minus 273 degrees Celsius, that is 0 Kelvin. That may sound funny but there is no energy left. But wait a minute, why does something still exist if it has no energy left? What is still holding it together?

Maybe my motivation gives me the most energy or seduces me to do. After all, I wish for a life in dignity, for all people. But I can’t give it to anyone without him or her accepting it, so I try to live it as I think it is right. I have made the experience, that acting affected and fast without consideration only costs energy. Therefore I draw the energy more and more out of my calm.

8 Keyword: Naturefriends House Brünig. How is it going with the cultural meeting place? What are the next steps?

We are currently in the process of rebuilding and building. So far everything is going well. We were even positively surprised by how well it is going. It will be a cultural and artistic place. Next, we will produce the annual calendar of Die Diebe. The studio is already finished. Several music bands will record a contentwise relevant song with us and we will publish it with the lyrics in the calendar. Additionally to the operation of the house in the same way as in the past decades, simply on a smaller scale, we offer artists of all kinds two rooms as a studio. This will be advertised soon. We also have room for another family with children. My son Rron goes to first grade in Lungern and my daughter Era helps us to set up. Now that we have received financial support, the next steps will probably speed up. 9 What are your current projects?

9 What are your current projects? What can we look forward to next?

The next EP of my band DIE DIE BE will be released on 27.11.2020 under the label Die Diebe and will be promoted by Bite it Promotion of Hamburg in Germany and Switzerland. Until the end of the year the next DANACHRICHTEN will be released as well as the annual calendar and maybe spontaneous political actions, because our world is changing rapidly at the moment and offers a lot of room for interpretation and therefore for chances as well.