Polyton: The prize that wants to do everything differently

Already in the foreword to the sinfully expensive catalog for the new pop music prize “Polyton”, The Friday evening (November 17th) was awarded in Berlin-Tempelhof, heavy artillery is brought out:

3D artist Befin Karakurt is asked how she visually “interpreted” the nominated performances. Her answer, which can be read on page seven of this bright pink stadium newspaper: “I initially designed the individual categories as abstract worlds. It was important to me to combine different haptic elements with each other. This happened primarily through different textures (smooth, shiny versus fluffy, matt) and the shapes of the abstract objects (soft, versus angular, pointed).”

So far. So good.

The optics explained in this way can be found as a meta-concept not only in the (quite stylish) printed work on 162 glossy pages; but also in a kind of poster art exhibition in one of Tempelhof’s “Polyton” halls and a thoroughly choreographed stage show in the other hall.

Even the most superficial award guest notices: the times of the “Echo”, when the music industry popped the bubbly and occasionally fists flew, are inevitably over. Now the focus should not be on “commerce”. For this purpose, an “Academy for Popular Music” was created, which with (for the time being) a few dozen members is structurally based on the “Recording Academy” in the USA, which in turn brings together thousands of members and, with great oomph, hosts the “Grammys” every year “ gives.

At the debut, individual artists or “collectives” were awarded prizes in eight categories. Without Sunday speeches and laudatory speeches. Instead, there will be a “dancing” of the awards on a pink, round stage; entirely in a curatorial sense.

The guests don’t sit at small Las Vegas tables with champagne coolers and lobster cocktails, but everyone has to stand around in a circle. That seems “street”: it’s just stupid that the back rows can’t see much. Doesn’t matter. The drinks must stay outside; which provokes some wild rebels to drink Heimlich. After all, it’s rock’n’roll, they thought.

An employee at a local Berlin radio stadium made the lovely comment: “Has this academy ever heard of guitars?” And in fact the “non-commercial prices” are anything but rock, metal, grunge or punk.

The “Polyton” wants to be meta-modern and woke in its first performance. A nice sentence about this in the local Berlin press: “The winners themselves only came on stage for what felt like five minutes afterwards.”

There are also live moments. Herbert Grönemeyer will be serving his new song “Kaltes Berlin” at the location, while Bosse, Paula Hartmann and the cheerful Graf Fidi will also be playing.

The official channels in the organizational structure are short. In addition to Shirin David, Johannes Oerding and Judith Holofernes, Herbert Grönemeyer is also one of the around 50 “Academy Members”. Grönemeyer songwriter Balbina also plays a not insignificant role, giving an “Everything Different” speech at the start of the “Polyton”.

There are well-known and unknown nominees. The acquaintances are called Peter Fox, Helene Fischer or Casper. And as the statutes say: The organizers attach great importance to “diversity”. A nice word that will appear in every funding application for cultural subsidies in the 2020s. Right next to “sustainability”.

Peter Fox then wins the trophy in the “Performance” category. In the “Stage” winning area, fame and honor (there is no prize money here) goes to “Deichkind Live 2022”. Star performer Henning Besser transferred “the Deichkind madness into an innovative stage concept”. And yes, it has to be “innovative” too.

The pop cracks from Blumengarten from Cologne can soon open a trophy room in days like these. After their victory at the “Pop NRW” award, the duo can also win nationally. In view of the fact that next week there will be the “Holger Czukay Prize” in Cologne (worth 15,000 euros) and the “Prize for Pop Culture” in Berlin (in addition to various city and country prizes), it is definitely possible to think of one speak of a certain “award inflation” that is currently rampant.

By the way, funny stories about the use of the “Echo” trophies are doing the rounds at the high tables in the “Polyton” beer hall. According to their own statements, the Fantastischen Vier used the massive structures as “doorstops” in their Stuttgart studio palace.

Something strange: In the “Digital” category, far from any enthusiasm for technology, it is about “sexual assault”. The winner is the #musicmeetoo collective.

There are no scandals regarding Israel, Hamas or Palestine; even if a dance troupe loudly chants “Ceasefire”. So ceasefire. A call that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will probably let go unheeded.

The “Echo”, which floats through studio halls like a pink elephant, was discontinued in 2018. He had overtaken himself, became more and more Ballermann-like – and then there were also lines from Strunzo rappers that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic.

Tempi pasati.

The new line of “quality, not quantity” that the makers of “Polyton” have adopted will probably still need a few years of maturation.

When the Cultural State Minister Claudia Roth (Greens), who is present, says that “traditional and hierarchical barriers are being broken down,” that may be true. However, where the journey is going and what it is all about, with regard to the largest possible “Polyton” financing from taxpayers’ money, is not so clear, at least at the start.

“Anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia or sexism,” as Ms. Roth said in her opening speech, are no longer welcome. Anyway …