In her performance “Deutschland Mon Amour”, Maja Simišić sings a bittersweet serenade to her complicated situationship and former lover - Germany. Blending cabaret and spoken word with live music, Maja took to the public stage at Theaterplatz in Chemnitz to express what had long been held in her heart and mind. The piece weaves together personal memories, reflections on her connection to Germany, as a country that she turned into a former lover for this piece, and a humoristic take on the "very German" things she misses - and those she definitely doesn't.

What many don’t know is that Maja was born in Germany but was never granted citizenship. Despite speaking fluent German and embodying some very “German” traits, she remained officially excluded. In “Deutschland Mon Amour”, her first piece written and performed entirely in German, she confronts not only the frustrations of an unjust system but also the deep emotional ties to a place that was once her home.

The performance was created during a six-week residency titled Dialogfelder, organized by Klub Solitaer e.V., marking Maja’s first time engaging in an artistic project in Germany, and her first extended stay in the country in over 13 years. Like much of her work, the piece is time and space specific and is to be seen on the documentation video, but never to be performed again.

Pictures and videos by Natalie Bleyl (Radar Studios)
Curated by Ewa Meister
Production by Brit Haßler

In this video artwork “To Be Doggo”, accompanied by an interactive installation. Simišić delves into the daily lives of EU families who've adopted dogs from non-EU countries. While humans navigate a labyrinth of paperwork and prejudice, it seems our four-legged companions have mastered the art of international relocation. "To Be Doggo" is more than just a tale of canine migration. It's a give and take, a process of questioning the absurdities of human society, institutional power dynamics, and the often-frustrating world of migration laws.

As you enter the exhibition, prepare to be treated like the good boy or girl you've never aspired to be. The artist has crafted an immersive installation that puts visitors through their paces, requiring compliance, patience, and perhaps a willingness to submit to arbitrary demands. The journey through the exhibition mirrors the often humiliating and frustrating experiences of navigating bureaucratic systems. You'll jump through hoops, wait patiently, and follow instructions to the letter. And just when you think you've earned your citizenship - or in this case, the right to view the film - you're faced with the ultimate question: Was it all worth it? It's a bit of a scam, really, much like the promises made to those seeking a better life abroad.

The artist is forcing us to confront the nature of our systems and the dehumanizing treatment of those we deem "other." She playfully subverts the concept of adoption, leaving us to wonder whether immigrants might have an easier time if they could be "adopted" like pets. It's a notion so absurd, but just might make sense in the kafkaesqeue chase for loopholes in the system.

Text: Jovana Trifuljesko / Spatial design: Alicia Rottke Fitzpatrick / Photography: Vladimir Vidanovski / Graphic design: Ivana Čavić 

In this interactive performance commissioned by Onomatopee in Eindhoven, Maja Simišić embodies the role of an immigration and naturalization officer guiding us through the intricate maze of European immigration policies. The audience  is encouraged to schedule an appointment with Maja to obtain their new ID card and to experience the daylight nightmare of bias and adversity for chasing the elusive dream to become a legal citizen in Europe.


Through the performance of Maja, the nightmare turns into a dystopian dream: the new ID card can contain whatever information the applicant wants there to be. However, obtaining the ID card is no simple task; instead, it becomes a whimsical yet challenging endeavor. With a critical examination of identification data and the very notion of an ID document, be ready for a spicy powerplay.


'Dreams of dreams of dreams' is an exhibition and public program which explores the transformative power of imagination when fuelled by a collective resolve to dismantle the status quo. Continuously re-imaging alternative presents, the collective body creates new tools and paradigms. Through artistic exploration, the exhibited works and activities delve into the experience of precarity as a shared condition for common survival. Dreaming thus becomes a communal practice—a process to be contextualized, cultivated, safeguarded, and nurtured. Within this space, we are offered the opportunity to rehearse new worlds together and to train our capacity of dreaming-in-common.



Curated & text by Cecilia Casabona
Photographs by Matilde Stolfa

After the Visa Reveal Party, join me at Roodkapje for a unique quiz to discover if you're allowed in the Netherlands: let's put your residency and EU immigration knowledge to the test!

Special guests Karina Zavidova, Belle Phromchanya and Bruno Čikara will help you along the way as co-conspirators in unraveling the mysteries of international law! We're all in this together, exploring the tension and sensation of EU citizenship rights with a dash of Dutch "vrijmibo" (Friday afternoon drinks) flair. Immerse yourself in the thrill of the game and celebrate your newfound knowledge afterwards with a star pinata for the winner, Eurovision Song Contest inspired karaoke, delicious bitterballen and beverages, just like the Dutch do it.


Photographs by: Ruby Lem