Liberty, Sensitivity, Solidarity!
At dawn on February 24, Ukraine experienced the first jolts of the Russian invasion, which has since ridden roughshod over that territory. Life as we know it will never be the same again. The world’s current state of affairs shows us the fragility of a planet – as once proved by the effects of climate instability and the biodiversity crisis – which in an instant, and in this case at the hands of a single man, can change its course, shatters an apparent and steady harmony.
Instability has triggered a wave of solidarity, a strong human cordon that confirms that we will always know what a human being is after all. A being capable of empathy, co-responsibility and unity. Inciting hatred, as a society under attack and oppression – as Yuval Noah Harari said – despite being a horrendous feeling, will foster endless resistance, a vital emerging force. It is important to stress that an aggressor is an aggressor anywhere in the world; any victims of injustice are of equal value, no matter their colour, language, culture. If we extend a hand to the Ukrainians, with empathy and mercy, we should do the same for Palestine, for Yemen, for Somalia, for Syria… The urgency to condemn this act should also be equal in the face of Chinese oppression of Taiwan or the Uighur Muslims. An anti-war movement (anti-authoritarianism/absolutism) is now more urgent than ever, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine represents the largest military operation in Europe since World War II.
These days, beyond welcoming the thousands of fleeing migrants, there are humanitarian campaigns and demonstrations in the streets. We see banners, we hear terrifying testimonies, sanctions are enforced and uncomfortable lights expose the names that profit from the suffering of others. But that sound charge is oscillating. And I ask: is it right to stay aloof, seemingly indifferent because we must “keep pushing forward”, because “at a distance and in emotional decay, what can we do for others?” Is it altruistic to remain seemingly apathetic and inert? If we cannot fight with the same weapons as those suffering on the ground, we must use those available to us. We live in the century of online channels, through which the power of the message comes from the fact that it is widely disseminated. But if, through these means, each one, each entity and each major (and influential) institution continues to disseminate or sponsor only their events, their agenda, commitments and interests, without a reference, declaration or sign of solidarity, what does this say about our humanity? Is the Portuguese artistic environment responding to what is happening, or at least showing support?
We must accept that it is normal to be excited about personal plans or to keep smiling as we leave the house, facing a sunny day or just another day like so many others. It is also normal to feel our heart clenched given the state of the world and to be afraid of the future’s murky vagueness; we feel grateful for the first signs of spring and guilty for keeping ourselves safe, healthy and with years of life ahead of us, which we expect to be healthy, ordinary and peaceful. It is acceptable to feel this rush of feelings. But disconnecting from the world; that is, from ourselves, is not reasonable.
The anti-Putin Russian community shows signs of solidarity as they fight for their survival in what could also become a national catastrophe or the turning point towards their freedom. Recently the artists who were to represent Russia at the Venice Biennale refused to participate, saying there is no room for art when civilians are under military attack, fleeing and fighting for shelter, while across the border those protesting in Russia are silenced and arrested. On the Ukrainian side, the brave decision came from one of the curators, who crossed and left the country with the work that would represent Ukraine, in her own car, to avoid being absent from the festival.
The current crisis itself – war, social, environmental… – opens space for new aesthetic realities, stimulated by breakthroughs in science, technology and social relations. Art, to fulfil its transformative role in the face of the urgencies of the planet and humanity, must rediscover itself. The concept of art must expand beyond and join the collective struggle of present-day life to regain its social purpose. A post-art movement is needed, one that goes beyond formality and aesthetics, that prioritises content, message and purpose. Synergies should focus on compassion, consideration for ecological values and relationships more than interpersonal or interspecies, with multidimensional tools (beyond art), in thorough contact with everyday life, a plunge into its know-how, values and ideals.
If the consequences of any crisis are felt by all, the solution will never be found only through academic theories. But rather through the productive creativity of ordinary people, which can be fostered by artistic intervention and imagination. Art can focus its resources on regeneration rather than production. This response does not stem from a singular doctrine, but from the creativity of several disciplines whose promises are tangible enough to protect us from destructive alienation, thus transforming the world. It is obvious that it changes and that there are new urgencies; however, if we take into consideration that, besides the constant multidisciplinary reciprocity of art and its relationships, many fruits are harvested, we will realize that, in the face of the relationship with the place and each era, art possesses the required strength for catalysis. For this, it is necessary to “liberate itself from the romanticism of anarchic confrontation, from the prison of facile irony (Baudrillard), from the regimes of representation (Rancière/Deleuze), in order to become a continuous movement in life’s natural processes, as part of its collective cultural endeavours to become more humane and truly egalitarian.” [1]
We must see art and move through it, not as vectors of the world’s translation, but as agents of its transformation.
Here’s a list of how international institutions are helping Ukrainian artists and refugees from around the world:
Artists at Risk (also for Russian and Bielorussian dissidents)
[1] Rasheed Araeen, Art Beyond Art. Ecoaesthetics: A Manifesto for the 21st Century (2010).
