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Antwerp
The ECCM (network of European cities and cultural months) has initiated a European project on the freedom of expression and dialogue. Projects connected with this will be presented in all present and past cultural capitals of Europe in early May 2000.
The intention of the Antwerp contribution is twofold: firstly an inquiry into who the censors are at the present time, and who the victims of censorship are, and secondly, an attempt to rid the concept of 'censorship' of its automatically negative connotation and of the ethical pretensions with which the person who 'unmasks' the censor almost inevitably invests himself. As with every term, the meaning of 'censorship' ultimately depends on the context in which it is used. And the present context is the late capitalist era. Almost every case of censorship in our society is directly or indirectly linked to this. Attention is being focused on the issue by means of a collection of essays, a campaign of postcards and posters, teaching packs for secondary education, a Website and 'Censorship Day' (7th of May 2000).
The book De militanten van de limiet. Over censure and free expression. Van Halewyck/Yange, which is edited by the 'censorship board', contains essays by Bart Meuleman, Inge Arteel, Patricia Popelier, Ronald Reeur, Marc Hooghe, Gie van den Berghe, Jef Verschueren, Marc Holthof, Sevtap Baycili, Rudi Laermans, Peter Terryn, Kris Lauwereys and the editors. The legal, sociological, cultural, media, political, moral, artistic, philosophical, psychological, historical, religious and linguistic aspects are all dealth with. From Lars von Trier to Herman Brusselsmans, from Marc Verwilghen to Heiner Müller, from Jörg Haider to Jean-Paul Sartre to het Toneelhuis, from Internet pornographers to Spike Lee, all appear in this book. It will include a substantial bibliography (with Web addresses) and a long list of recent cases of and statements on censorship and/or conflicts in connection with free expression. The book will be introduced at a press conference in Antwerp on Tuesday, 2nd of May.
The poster and postcard campaign channels to a broader audience several of the subjects and points of view touched on in the book. On the front will appear variations on slogans familiar from the media and cultural sector and the back of the cards will have a short text explained this particular aspect of the notion of censorship. The cards will be distributed by Boomerang and the posters by Aeolus and the media.
The slogans are:
Free market and culture – partners in censorship
On the censoring effect of a society obsessed with viewing figures and market criteria and its impact on art and the media.
Censorship has to be earned
On the sympotomatic significance of every case of censorship: what is at stake? Which social standards and values are being challenged? Is every censored work of art interesting precisely because it is censored?
Censorship: the creative solution
Artists suffer from censorship. But it may also challenge them to find a new way of saying the same which is invisible to the censor but not to the public. Or else they impose formal limits on themselves (as in the sonnet, Dogma 95, the short film, etc.) because they feel that it is precisely in this sort of restriction that the true master shows himself. There are even people who appear to lose all their creativity once they are freed from censorship.
Censorship: for that feeling of freedom
The censor takes action because society appears to be in danger. A political party, a book or a film is outlawed or isolated. The censor admits that society is not strong enough to face this danger. As long as censorship exists the Enlightenment is not complete.
On 'Censorship Day' (7th May, in the Monty), there will be debates, informaton, films and documentaries.
This Antwerp project is headed by the 'Censorship Board' on commission to Antwerpen Open (Geert Buelens, Bert Bultinck, Pieter de Buysser & Dirk Martens)
Bruno Verbergt
antwerpen open
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