In January 2018, we had reported to you for the first time about the MOMEM - Museum of Modern Electronic Music. And even then, the announcement that the museum was to come to the Hauptwache had been preceded by years of intensive planning, filled with ideas, plans and hopes, but also with bitter setbacks and disappointments. But at the press conference four years ago, the designated director of MOMEM, Alex Azary, was then able to proudly announce: "The city's promises will be kept, the premises of the Children's Museum at the Hauptwache can be used, and Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann will become patron - MOMEN will come!" But although the ceremonial handover of the keys was held six months later in the future premises of the museum, the project was still far from being in the bag. There were problems with the financing, the planned opening was pushed back further and further - and then came Corona!
But now it is finally so far: the MOMEM, which is the world's first museum fully dedicated to electronic music, was ceremoniously opened tonight. While people were already celebrating and dancing at the Hauptwache from the early afternoon, there was first of all an official ceremony with some guests of honor in the Paulskirche. Head of the Department of Culture Dr. Ina Hartwig welcomed the three driving forces behind this special museum: Director Alex Azary, co-founder Andreas Tomalla alias Talla 2XLC and Stefan Weil, owner and managing director of Atelier Markgraph. Of course, DJ and musician Sven Väth, to whom the opening exhibition entitled "It's simple to tell what saved us from hell" is dedicated, as well as internationally renowned artist Tobias Rehberger, who curated the exhibition, were not to be missed. There couldn't be a better opening exhibition, Azary and Tomalla said during the festivities. After all, Sven Väth and Tobias Rehberger each shaped electronic music and club culture in their own unique way and carried it from Frankfurt to the world, they said.
After a few words of welcome, the guests present were treated to a dance performance by choreographer Paula Rosolen to the music of Sven Väth before heading to the big outdoor party at the Hauptwache, where Väth didn't miss the chance to DJ himself and get the crowd cooking. It was an exuberant and joyful celebration for a project that was developed over many years with a lot of passion and was implemented despite all hurdles. For a long time, Frankfurt has not been celebrated so exuberantly - so it was no wonder that at the Hauptwache into the deep night there was a happy party mood and even a touch of past "Sound of Frankfurt" days could be felt.
The MOMEM itself could only be inspected by the press and invited guests that evening, but will be open to all from 07 April. The versatile exhibition about Sven Väth, which is presented in a successfully realized club atmosphere, is however only one aspect of the MOMEMS. For it is intended to be much more than a museum dealing with the emergence and development of a music genre that has important roots in Frankfurt. The house is intended to be a platform, a showroom, a laboratory, a studio, a meeting place and a stage. According to Alex Azary, MOMEM offers very different potentials: "It enlivens our city with a universally understood and unifying cultural genre: music. It is an experimental laboratory for globally burgeoning varieties of this 'new world music'. It builds the bridge from the 'Black Legacy' with Fela Kuti and Frankie Knuckles to the 'Female Future' with Afrodeutsche, Helena Hauff and Jako Jako."
At the same time, it should also help to revitalize the city center and especially the area around the museum and make it a new point of attraction in Frankfurt City. It will be exciting to see how MOMEM develops in the coming months and whether the high expectations that have built up over the years can be fulfilled. Based on the good mood of the opening party at the Hauptwache and the successful implementation of the opening exhibition, but at least a first positive conclusion can already be drawn.
You can find all other info about the museum at: https://momem.org/
