Cultural policy and nationalismXy- the reconstruction of crime: artists challenge

Milena Dragicevic Sesic

Balkan cultural studies

• Construction and re-construction of identities

• Poetics and politics of representation (victimization, denials, megalomania...)

• Ethnic based cultural policies• Territorialy based visions• New imposed phenomena:

- Cross-border cooperation – policies- International good-will – funding practices

Balkan Cultural Studies

• As studies of manipulation(dominant ideology deconstructed

through elite and popular culture)

• As studies of resistance – dissent(study of subcultural subversivity:

alternative art practices and self-generated forms of expression)

The pitfall of cultural identity• Identity politics &

national “renewal movements”

• Killing identities (Amin Malouf)

• European efforts –transition... New visions and horizons

• Old fears

Balkan – identity re-constructions

• « old » and « new » nations – identity of peoples living in several states (Serbs in Serbia & Bosnia, Albanians in Albania, Macedonia & Kosovo, Bosnians in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro…

• Hatred of small differences (Ignatieff)…• Fear of small numbers (Appadurai)

- social uncertainty (produced by globalisation forces)- logic of uncompleteness

Politics of oblivion as major strategy of identity politics

Retorics of war, sacrifices, – Turkey, Greece, Serbia

Film Eleni… (writers: Nicolas Gage & Steve Tesic, dir. Peter Yates… John Malkovich)

“The Greek Civil War was the first battle against Communism and it was an important victory for the Allied Forces”, what about Macedonians…

Cultural policy as the tool of distinction

• EU - territory driven cultural policiesthe territory and citizenshipinclusive approach (evidence based)

• Balkan World - constructed community driven cultural policy.

ethnicity” as the key element of self-identification,key “national identificators”, language, alphabeth,

religion, traditional art forms…Diaspora , stereotypes, xenophobia and national

megalomania

How one nation is conceptualizing itself through arts

• Dominant discourse• Popular discourse• Alternative discourseImages for internal and external use

Art in service of national aimsNational identity construction – XIX centuryFour pillars:• Greek antique heritage• Italian renaissance• Ethnic folklore• Language (and its own alphabet)

Result:Contemporary Artistic Expression as a construct of a national spirit –

renewal of national characteristics (literature, architecture, visual arts…) – balance of ethnical & European values

- Key players – intellectuals and youth movements + renewal of « patronage » tradition (transfer of « ktitor » practice from religious to nationalistic sphere

Nationalizing the culture -Structuring of artistic practices

• Institution building – to contribute to the construction of national traditionMuseums, Libraries, National Art & Science Academies; « Matica »… slavonique (Serbian, Croatian, Slovak…)

• Art Education institutionalization• Shaping of public space • Art debates as national culture debate (around

visual art works…) – evaluation criteria…

Art and Policy of Nationalism –self-colonizing practice

• A. Kiossev… (re-taking of European art history as our own roots + modernization processes seen as accepting European trends and fashions) – this was productive only in the moments of emancipation…

• Controversy: authentic national vs European modern

• Polarization of intellectuals

Memory politics & identity construction

IDENTIFICATION (research), USE, RENEWAL & CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL TRADITION

- Territory of the nation – territory of the nation state (Hungary – Youth movement « 64 varmegye »

- use of history (re-writing)- past: Kosovo…- topos – rearranged as public space

Heroes of the nation (cult) – mythical and contemporary (in a service of a nation):

- medieval rulers cults- « national » saints- resurrection heroes cults- cultural heroes (Mickijevic, Petofi, Njegos, Vuk Karadzic, Gaj…)- women heroes (mothers or inocent girls – Majka Jevrosima, Majka

Jugovica, - monuments - public buildings

In the construction of Yugoslavian identity – all these principles have been used (mother of national hero… only PAST started with socialist movements… and from medieval times the key moments have been rural riots – villagers resurrections, etc.

Poetics of nationalism• Allegory – allegorical discourse, personifications

• Historicism• Epical approach• Authenticity (representation of national

symbols & costumes…)symbols: flag, anthem, heraldry, emblem…

• Understanding of the « people » (narod)

MarinaAbramovic

ConceptualistCosmpolitainUrban European & BalkanicSerbian & MontenegrianCommunist & Ortodox

Hidden images – images of poverty

-temporality (festivities, dates)Nationalisation

• Political celebrations (+ dynastical)• Religious celebration• Funerals and transfer of remnants…• Royal/presidents visits (to Monastery Hilandar…)

– repeating Dusan patterns• Cultural celebrations – « civil » (St Sava days)• Military celebrations• Example: Vidovdan (Kosovo)+ nationalisation of everyday life• Family festivities within patriotic frameReality show Farma…

Characteristics of art scene• Culture of dissent• Fear of agreement• Fear of consensus• Fear of “pensee

unique”

ProvocationSubversionSelfsatisfaction

Overlapping identites – hybridity- nationalistic dominante –

Kusturica & Bregovic• Balkan as a hybrid in itself• Slavic identity (Mikhalkov…)• European identity (education…)• CentralEuropean identity - Prague school; • Urban vs rural dichotomy• Film maker identity (best friends:

Jarmush, Johnny Depp…)• Kusturica – through all those identites…

Artistic reactions - reflectionsConfrontation with the past – taking responsibilities

• Mrdjan Bajic – Yugomuseum...• Dah theater• Milica Tomic• Biljana Srbljanovic• Ivana Vujic• Ivana Stefanovic

yugomuzej ©000016: Memorandum, 90x130x70cm,1999.

g stola I.Garasanina; olovni sanduk (4.9 T); gipsani reljef: "Planine i reke SFRJ",rad ucenika VII3, OS Gavrilo Princip, poklonjen J.B.Titu povodom izbora za pocasnog clana SANU, aklamacijom; pisaca masina na kojoj je otkucan

Memorandum; staklo, neon.Donator: Academy of Sciences, SANU, Beograd

Provocation, critical thinkingMrdjan Bajic / Yugomuseum

………………….Yu museum

Milica Tomić XY ungelöst – Reconstruction of the Crime, 1996/97

ironically and painfully showing how the individual is caught up in power games and constructions of political and nationalist identity.

In I Am Milica Tomic her own body is literally wounded by the true and false declarations she makes about her own identity: "I am Milica Tomic. I am Norwegian. I am Korean. I am Milica Tomic.

Projects from outside - AES

Raša TodosijevićWHO PROFITS FROM ART, AND WHO

MAKES AN HONEST GAIN FROM IT The author wrote this text to somehow profit from the good and bad in art

• The factories that manufacture materials are necessary to artists.

• The firms that sell materials are necessary to artists.

• Their workers, clerks, sales personnel, agents, etc.

• Firms or private business owners who provide the equipment or decorate the work of artists.

• The carpenters who make frames, wooden structural supports, etc.

• The producers of glass, paper, pencils, paints, tools, etc.

• Their workers, clerks, sales personnel, retailers, etc. Belgrade, 21 April 1975.

46.The Constitution is guaranteeing a freedom of

speech and expression, as well as freedom to use speech, writing, image or any other way to

communicate or receive ideas and information

Street censorship -• Political correctness• Indiferency• Political,

partyinterests)

• Fear(street censorship)

• NGO censorship

Z. Jevremovic – Balade

Artist and intellectuals – for Bosnia

- path- Crossroad- Bridge- horizon

Dah teatar - sećanje na Srebrenicu

Miodrag Krkobabic, Cacak

Luggage for Europe?De Valigia – Balint Szombati

mediation – Macbeth in front of police – January 1996

Listen little man – homage a W.R. (September1997) – 10 00 - inclusivensess

Listen little man – in the municipality 11 00

Listen little man – In the shopping mall12 00

Dalmatian ball game – Mirijevo17 00

Raising awareness - 2005

?Understanding the other?

Billjana Djurdjevic…………………….

Erzen Shkololli, Peć: Transitions 2001 (Circumcision, Pioneer, European)

M. Dragićević Šešić i S. Dragojević Intercultural mediation in the Balkans

Tanja Ostojic: Origine de monde – hommage a Courbet –billboard in Vienna