Salman Rushdie and Laurie Anderson Discuss Ghost Stories, Biennale Controversy, and Shared Birthdays
In a recent interview with Laurie Anderson for CULTURED magazine, Salman Rushdie, 78, the author of The Satanic Verses and the upcoming memoir Knife, discussed his new short story collection, The Eleventh Hour. This anthology features his inaugural ghost story, inspired by E.M. Forster, where Forster appears as a spirit seeking justice. Another tale centers on a musician who wields magic to exact revenge on a wealthy family in India. Rushdie also talked about the documentary adaptation of Knife, directed by Alex Gibney, which debuted at Sundance in January. Anderson elaborated on her Republic of Love show and her project for the Venice Biennale. Both artists expressed their opposition to cultural boycotts, advocating for inclusivity in the arts while sharing personal anecdotes about their dogs and experiences.
Key facts
- Salman Rushdie published The Eleventh Hour, a short story collection including his first ghost story.
- Rushdie's ghost story is based on his encounters with E.M. Forster at Cambridge in the 1960s.
- Laurie Anderson is touring her show Republic of Love with the band Sexmob.
- Anderson is participating in the Venice Biennale with a world map painting in the central exhibition.
- Rushdie wrote a catalogue essay for Michael Armitage's exhibition at Palazzo Grassi during the Biennale.
- The documentary Knife, directed by Alex Gibney, premiered at Sundance in January 2024.
- Rushdie and Anderson share nearly the same birthday and plan a joint celebration.
- Both Rushdie and Anderson oppose cultural boycotts but criticize Israel's Biennale security presence.
Entities
Artists
- Salman Rushdie
- Laurie Anderson
- E.M. Forster
- Alex Gibney
- Rachel Eliza Griffiths
- Gary Shteyngart
- Jeff Koons
- Cornel West
- Michael Armitage
- Lou Reed
- Emma Cline
- Vinnie Hacker
- Lena Dunham
- Sombr
- Marcello Hernández
- Jamie Foxx
- Sinna Nasseri
- Brian Karlsson
Institutions
- CULTURED
- King's College
- Cambridge
- Sundance
- Penguin Random House
- Sexmob
- Venice Biennale
- Palazzo Grassi
- ORF
- Big Ears
- Villa Albertine
- Heldenplatz
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Bombay
- India
- New Orleans
- Tucson
- Arizona
- Vienna
- Austria
- Europe
- Knoxville
- Venice
- Italy
- Switzerland