Brussels, in search of counter-narratives

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Mstislav Rostropovich celebrated his regained freedom by playing Bach as the Wall came down | AFP via Getty
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OPINION
Brussels, in search of counter-narratives
Culture can be a weapon against violence and intolerance. But in our multi-polar and
globalized world, our new model must be one of mutual exchange.
By PAUL DUJARDIN | 4/16/16, 6:03 AM CET | Updated 4/16/16, 7:03 PM CET
Islamic terrorists know how to conquer hearts and minds. They do it with imagery and
storytelling; by playing on emotions and manufacturing a feeling of belonging and purpose.
Can the European Union’s motto — “Unity in diversity” — really stand up to war, a refugee crisis
and terrorism with the same kind of strength?
Terrorism demands counterterrorism; propaganda, a counter-narrative. As Europeans,
skepticism and self-criticism are part of our cultural heritage and intellectual DNA. So when we
ask what art can do in the face of terror and destruction, we assume that it cannot do very much.
But let’s not be too modest. Without a solid answer on cultural issues like migration, citizenship
and the social fabric of our cities, and without a sense of belonging, Europe will remain stuck in
its current crisis, one that is sharpened by dangerous, simplistic narratives of terror and the
populist responses they provoke.
***
Unlike propaganda, art is not false or reductive. The stronger the image, or the story, the greater
the impact. Unifying narratives are exactly what Europe and Brussels — its cosmopolitan and
multicultural capital — need. Although it shut down for two weeks after the November attacks
in Paris, the Belgian capital showed resilience after it suffered its own onslaught. And this
change in attitude can best be seen in our public and cultural spaces.
A day after the attacks, a performance of Bach’s “St-Matthew’s Passion” took place at the Center
for Fine Arts (BOZAR) as planned. Music is a universal language and it sounded that night like a
solid monument to hope. The orchestra, choir, soloists and conductor had made a collective
decision to come to Brussels despite the horror of the day before.
A few days later, at the Bourse, the Brussels Philharmonic performed Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,”
Europe’s anthem. Amateur choirs sang Belgian classics by Jacques Brel, Stromae and
Noordkaap.
I was reminded of the events of November 1989 and the story of the Russian cellist Mstislav
Rostropovitch. He had suffered as an artist under Soviet repression and fled, with his family, to
the United States in 1974. Four years later, his Soviet citizenship was revoked. With the fall of the
Wall the internal rupture between East and West could finally be mended. Rostropovitch
celebrated his regained freedom by playing Bach as the Wall came down.
***
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Terrorists strike in public places. And we know that their targets are not only citizens, but
values. Now we have to repair our wounded society by reclaiming these same spaces.
Deciding against a lockdown does not mean carrying on with “business as usual.” Our society
has been attacked. And restoring order is bound to be a long process. Just like in our foreign
policy, we have to find the right balance between hard and soft power.
Today’s soft power will differ from the unilateral strategy of the Cold War period. At the time,
the influence of Western culture was stronger and many of those behind the Iron Curtain no
longer believed the propaganda pushed by their regimes.
In our current multi-polar and globalized world, culture can still be a weapon against violence,
intolerance and tyranny. But blindly relying on the superiority of Western culture is no longer
possible. Our new model must be one of mutual exchange. Diasporas in Brussels and other
European cities must act as ambassadors and as bridges between us.
Now in Europe there is a growing awareness that investing in cultural exchange programs may
be as important to peacekeeping as investments in security and border control. In Paris and
Brussels, where public places have come under attack, “more culture” remains the only right
and civilized response to terror.
Paul Dujardin is CEO and artistic director of the Center for Fine Arts in Brussels.