Villa Aurora. Exile, Art, and Freedom in Los Angeles

Miraculously, Villa Aurora withstood the devastating fire that swept through large parts of Pacific Palisades in January 2025. Known in both Germany and the United States as a place of cultural memory, the Villa today stands more than ever for continuity and resilience. Since 1995, the former home-in-exile of Marta and Lion Feuchtwanger has served as a reminder of the artists and intellectuals who found refuge in California during the Nazi era and helped shape cultural life on the West Coast. As a residency for writers, composers, visual artists, and filmmakers, Villa Aurora brings together artistic practice and historical reflection—on exile and freedom, on language, responsibility, and the idea of home. This anniversary volume marking thirty years of Villa Aurora gathers voices from across all epoches—including literary and essayistic contributions by James Conlon, Sharon Dodua Otoo, Donna Rifkind, Alex Ross, Sabine Scho, E. Randol Schoenberg, Karosh Taha, Lawrence Weschler, and Maryam Zaree. The book is enriched by archival material, architectural photography by Mike Kelley, a recent photo series by Todd Gray, and an introduction by editors Claudia Gordon and Jakob Scherer.