Life is not black and white

Stories and songs of roots, world & home with Patrick Depuhl and Judy Bailey

There are evenings that linger on. They accompany you into the night and the days to come. Such an evening was experienced by the guests at the concert reading by Patrick Depuhl and Judy Bailey at the invitation of the Evangelical Lutheran Missionary Organisation (ELM) as part of its Friedensort2GO project in the Große Kreuzkirche church in Hermannsburg.

The colourful lighting alone sent a clear message: "Life is not black and white" - the title and motto of the evening. Through Judy Bailey's singing and her deeply moving songs, alternating with the impressive stories read by her artist colleague and husband Patrick Depuhl, the audience not only experienced a concert, but also an inspiring journey through very personal stories, large-format pictures and music that focussed on the different facets of life - especially her own life. And so you could sense right from the start that this evening was going to be something special.

Together, the two created an atmosphere that was both touching and thought-provoking.The combination of music and stories offered many emotional moments. Bailey's lyrics told of the longing for home, of her own Caribbean roots, of cultural barriers, of racism - but also of arriving in Germany and the unifying power of music. This deep emotionality conveyed the message of the concert reading: life is not simply black or white, but full of colourful facets. Patrick Depuhl reinforced this message with his often tongue-in-cheek stories. The way he brought stories to the stage was impressive - calm, reflective and full of respect for the people he had met in his life. This led to intense and quiet moments of reflection. Church as a space that makes the power of forgiveness and hope tangible - that was palpable that evening. With their concert reading,

Judy Bailey and Patrick Depuhl reminded the audience that prejudice can be overcome, even despite their own experiences of racism, as Judy recounted - both in her childhood and during her time in Europe. But instead of being bitter, she used these experiences to spread hope and confidence through her music.The concert reading "Life is not black and white" was an evening full of emotions and deep reflections that will probably stay with those present for a long time, as it impressively demonstrated how art and stories can build bridges - between people and cultures.