De spreidstand van de Europese moraliteit
Before the summer, cultural houses in Flanders asked politicians to do all they could to stop the genocide on the Palestinian people. In so doing, they would be fulfilling the international obligations Belgium endorsed in 1948.
With this campaign, we made it known that as cultural organisations, we were stopping all collaborations with Israeli partners if they did not unambiguously distance themselves from the violations of international law by the Israeli government. We asked the Flemish Minister of Culture and the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs to support the cultural sector in this standpoint and to defend it internationally.
We feel strengthened by the call from Flemish Minster of Culture Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) for a cultural boycott of Israeli artists that do not distance themselves from the regime in Tel Aviv. From that perspective, the programming of the Münchner Philharmoniker with conductor Lahav Shani was unfortunate. Indeed, Shani is also Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which describes itself as an ambassador of Israel.
Culture has been deployed as propaganda for centuries. Israel also does this in a very active way. This is not how we perceive the role of art. We are not the jesters of power. Anyone who argues for the neutrality of the arts is overlooking their social role and responsibility.
In his influential position, Lahav Shani’s has the right to choose silence. Just as we, representatives of engaged arts organisations, have the right not to programme artists who deliberately remain silent about such flagrant human rights violations.
It is also expected of Palestinian artists, especially in media studios, that they distance themselves from Hamas and recognise Israel. Why should the same rules not apply to Israelis?
Where was everyone who is now making such a ruckus when Alain Platel’s 2020 performance C(H)OEURS was taken off the programme of the Ruhrtriennale due to his support for the Palestinian cause? Why was a prime minister not tripping over themselves to travel to Germany then?
Why was there a deafening silence when during the 2023 Frankfurter Buchmesse the prizegiving was cancelled for the book Palast des Schweigens by the Palestinian writer Adanai Shibli?
The reactions to the decision by Flanders Festival Ghent are strong. The unity with which some politicians are now joining forces to criticise the festival was nowhere to be seen in recent months when it came to condemning genocide and agreeing on sanctions against Israel. But when a cultural organisation tries to send a clear message, they manage to coalesce in position X at speed.
To quote Bart De Wever (Prime Minister of Belgium), art and culture do indeed have "the essential goal of connecting people," but that is also the role of politics. It is frightening and deeply sad to see how a festival's request for a conductor representing a key Israeli institution to speak out is deliberately strategically misused to further polarise and divide our already fragile society. This is a perfect example of the world in which we live today, and of the contortions of European morality.
Hendrik Storme & Frederik Beernaert, DE SINGEL; Franky Devos & Kristof Blom, VIERNULVIER; Daan Vander Steene, Yves Degryse & Barbara Raes, NTGent; Wouter Van Looy & Nathalie De Boelpaep, Musica; Ilse Delmeire & Michiel Vandevelde, CAMPO; Merel Vercoutere, Ruth Dupré & Robbie Boi, KAAP; Michaël De Cock & Kristien De Coster, KVS; Kurt Melens & Jaïr Tchong, HA CONCERTS; Koen Roofthooft, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe, Görges Ocloo, Tom Dewispelaere, Stijn Van Opstal, Lisaboa Houbrechts, Stef Aerts, Marie Vinck & Thomas Verstraeten, Toneelhuis; Amelie Aernaudts en Sabine Stommels, De Studio; Bart Vanvoorden & Margot Deneubourg, kunstencentrum nona; Kristof Jonckheere, Mathilde Villeneuve & Bram Coeman, BUDA; Johan De Smet & Lies Leliaert, KOPERGIETERY; Geert Riem & Tom Janssens, Muziekcentrum De Bijloke.
