Photo Source: dj-ipek.com

According to the Old Testament, the Battle of Jericho was won when Joshua marched his army of Israelites around the city as they blew their trumpets, causing Jericho’s walls to crumble. It’s fitting then that in 2009, 20 years after another infamous and historic wall dramatically fell, music is still playing an integral role in the breaking down of barriers worldwide.

That today’s walls are more insubstantial and cultural in nature does not minimize their impact or the challenge they represent to those who find themselves on the wrong side of such dividers. In honoring the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 87 mile-long structure that separated the West from the rest of the world during the Cold War, DJ Ipek Ipekcioglu is also helping to break down the less tangible, but still very real, barriers that still exist around the world today.

Ipek herself is uncannily suited for blending identities and blurring distinctions. As the daughter of Turkish immigrants to Germany, a practicing Muslim and an out-and-proud lesbian, she experiences all of the stigmas that are usually associated with someone of her gender, ethnic, religious and sexual minority status. The music she makes, however, doesn’t seek to keep these divergent identities separated. On the contrary, she produces an eclectic sound that mixes Middle Eastern notes with contemporary Berlin electro styling and draws on minority subcultures and pop culture in Germany (an example of her work is included below). In doing so, she celebrates the multiple facets of her life and her unique experiences.

“It is called Eklektik BerlinIstan (kind of a word mix of Berlin and Istanbul), and the music is a mixture of Orient BalkanElektroMinimal, from traditional folktunes to very electronic sounds like, house, electro, drum ‘n bass, and breaks,” she explains via email from Berlin. “I like to play with moods and emotions and to be a part of the dancing crowd and be in touch with them. I like to spin unknown stuff, but at the same time i want to give the crowd also some security by spinning and mixing up known music. It’s very eclectic.”

Her sexuality, along with her ethnic and religious identities, have also influenced her work.

“I’ve always been open [about my sexuality], because I don’t want to support this ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ mentality and also this marginalization and discrimination of queer people elsewhere,” she says.

If anyone embodies the antithesis of the queer artist not wanting to be viewed as a role model for other LGBT people around the world, it’s DJ Ipek. Her experiences as the child of Muslim immigrants in Europe, however, can’t be separated from her sexuality.

“There are a few Turkish groups who are now actively working on this topic of queer immigrants. I think it’s really important work they do. The situation is getting better, but there are enough queers in the world who cannot live openly with their sexuality because of societal pressure. I think it’s good, if people are open in public, openly stand for that, for who they are.”

Keeping this in mind, Ipek also defies the norms that say artists should not get involved in politics, even when their work bumps up against cultural barriers.

“I have been working on this issue, breaking down barriers in a social-political way, for years,” she says with pride. “But Germany has still a concept about static identities instead of dynamic identities and cultures.”

Her work in this area and her blending of genres and influences made her the natural choice to headline Rise&Fall, a revolutionary art and music event series commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall that’s currently touring the U.S. and will be in stopping in DC next Wednesday, November 18. Rise&Fall features artwork by artists from around the world  all set to Ipek’s unique music.

She could, however, conceivably play her music and convey her political and personal message in any number of ways. The idea of participating in an event that specifically honors the fall of the Wall and that tours outside of Germany appealed to her deeply.

“I love Berlin, and I want to make it more and more attractive to live in. I was living right at the Wall. It is hard to deal with such walls daily…now it doesn’t exist, but it still exists somehow in our minds,” she says.

“Because I had been living near the Berlin Wall since 1982, and when it was brought down in 1989, I have a special place in my heart for this anniversary. It was a big challenge for all of us to deal with this Wall-less situation. It changed our lives in Berlin. With the opening up of a great city, Germany became even more international. I’m excited to travel the United States with Rise&Fall and, through my passion for music, commemorate this historic occasion with American audiences.”

Ipek hopes that American audiences will join her for a night of shattering divisions, whether they be physical or mental in nature, wherever in the world they may find them.

“You can expect a really fun dance party with eclectic and diverse music,” she says, addressing Americans considering attending Rise&Fall.  “And while you dance, you’ll have the opportunity to look at almost 100 pieces of artwork displayed on digital picture frames and projected on screens by artists from 19 countries and 19 states in the USA.”

You’ll also be able to enjoy the music of a complex and talented artist who’s working to make the world a little more open and inclusive, one song at a time.

Rise&Fall is Wednesday, November 18 at DC9 (1940 9th Street, NW). The event is sponsored by The Embassy of the Republic of Germany Washington, DC and Kodak. You can find more information on the event’s official website.