Münster, I absolutely love you.

Zwei Für. Two For.

An album you read and look at instead of listen to.

I never intended to show this album series in Germany, especially when I was working on it.

Zwei Für. Two For. is a concept album built around the songs of AnnenMayKantereit. I translated their songs into English, interpreted them, turned most of them into stories, and made a painting for each one.

For years, I tried to make my English translations rhyme. Eventually, the question changed. Instead of asking how to turn a German song into an English song, I started asking: What story is this song actually telling me?

The name started making more sense as I went. German and English. Song and story. Writing and painting. Their meaning and mine. The person I was when I first heard these songs and the person I am now.

These aren’t meant to be definitive English translations. They’re what happened when those songs passed through my German, my English, my memories, my relationships, my writing and my art.

Then I got the chance to come to Münster on a little trip. Lieschen Müller were cool enough to give me a space, and I already had this album in my bag because I’m going to try to give it to AnnenMayKantereit while I’m in Germany.

Anyway, it was packed away in my bag, and meanwhile I’m thinking: Okay, I’m showing some art. What should I show?

Well, what a stupid question that was to ask myself.

If there is anywhere on earth that I should show German music translated into English stories and original paintings, then this is most definitely the place.