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A Belfast reflection on culture and language by Kevin Cooper

“Culture and language is something that can help build understanding or cause division, depending on how it is approached and used.

The homosexual and lesbian community reclaimed the term “gay” by embracing the term that was used in an abusive way and by reclaiming the term as a celebration of their sexual identity.

But I believe that is not useful when we talk about war and conflict. We need to understand that war propaganda is used to dehumanise the other. It is done by promoting fear and spreading ignorance; it is done in forms of language, culture and illustration. So I believe it is very important and vital, particularly in peace processes but certainly in peace movements to use language, culture and illustration in positive forms, but does not glorify or eulogise conflict or war. In my presentation in Gent I tried to illustrate one persons’ cultural identity expressed through marching can be another communities unwelcome triumphalism and generate fear in the other human beings.

Bernard's presentation in USA on the history of political murals in Northern Ireland was illustrating another way that those involved in conflict used art to project political message, justify conflict and to remind communities who was in control.

One of the most important pieces of work that was done in Northern Ireland which gave voice and language to the peace process was the “A Citizens’ Inquiry” as part of the Opsahl Report on Northern Ireland 1992. Bernard gives evidence to this inquiry. This important report developed language that allowed communities that were involved in conflict whose language infuriated the other to engage in talking by neutralising the nature of the hostile terms and of varied descriptions of different events. Many commentators wrongly attributed this to Sinn Fein language but in fact it was a direct result of this report.

Art and language should be a celebration of human diversity, not a tool for division and exclusion. We need to express ourselves in a way that does not cause offence but can still deal with difficult issues with mutual respect and the sharing of hurtful experience in an environment that is welcoming and safe and does not threaten the other. We should move away as human beings from using national and cultural identity for coat trailing.

I should also remind you that during the Cold War, the CIA funded and promoted modern art as a cultural expression of Western freedom. The Soviet Union equally funded and promoted modern realism as an expression of the common man and communism. Neither expressions of political imperialist dominance was correct or useful.

Artists, poets and writers in any culture should help us explore our humanity and bring out our inner truth, self and community reflection and deeper understanding.

All of this must be set against the context of history, personal and community experience and acknowledgement of past wrongs and build trust.”

Kevin Cooper

Belfast 7 April 2011

Kevin Cooper

 Photogragher

Photoline Photographic Agency

41 Kansas Ave., Belfast, BT15 5AX.

E-mail: photoline(at)supanet.com

OfficeTel: 02890777299 or 028 90770993 Mobile: 07712044751

Web site: www.kevincooperphotoline.com

He has done

photography for a number of years for WAVE an organization which deals with people who suffered trauma, loss or injury as a result of the Northern Ireland conflict.  

Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma http://dartcenter.org/

Some of the projects I have provide photography for:

WAVE: http://www.wavetraumacentre.org.uk/

Healing Through Remembering: http://www.healingthroughremembering.info/

Inter Action Belfast: http://www.peacewall.org/home.htm

Information about my work as a union activist and journalist: http://www.kevincooperphotoline.com/

Silence Not an Option “Journalism Under Threat" conference held at Queen's University, Belfast on Saturday 22 November 2003:http://media.gn.apc.org/fl/0401bel2.html?i=flindex&d=2004_01

Kevin Cooper Membership of Honour: http://www.thejournalist.org.uk/july08/adm_honor.html

Who killed Martin O’Hagan? http://www.londonfreelance.org/ohagan1.html

 

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