Speech for a meeting of ITI members from Germany, Sweden, Venezuela, Korea.
Being asked to talk about Festival, especially about an 'ideal festival' is a difficult task. Ideal for whom? the organizers? the artists? the audience? the sponsors? the media? The amount of festivals held each year is incredible and every organizer tries to create the 'ideal' event. Many Festivals are planned, introducing divers themes, styles, forms, tried in form of workshops, meetings, seminars, exchanges on regional, multi -- national, cross -- cultural, international level. What are the reasons for this growing need for festivals?
The idea is very old -- in Europe going back to Greece, where playwrights and productions were introduced to the public in form of large extravagant events, to praise the Gods and to entertain, educate the people. Rituals and ritualistic performances brought people together to celebrate something higher, apart from what they saw, some 'common denominator,' some '3rd party' was introduced. The plays were only means for these gatherings.
Other reasons were to celebrate monarchs and leaders, or were arranged as gifts of monarchs and leaders to the people. To get audiences to travel long distances one needed an important occasion. For sure this was not the artist's name or his work alone at these times. News traveled by foot.
So all these presentations and events had other reasons then only entertainment, it helped to promote Gods, leaders, political systems and thoughts. It influenced the people and helped create power for strengthening positions and believe. This has not changed much ever.
What gave the idea for continuing festivals in modern times?
ITI was founded 1948 in Prague, after World War II, a time where, speaking of Europe and the Western World now, political, economical and philosophical value system where upset, changed, shifted, and were re--established in different power structure after the end of the war nations where busy to rebuild, to find themselves again, redefine themselves. Looking over the border was a luxury, or not permitted. Europe had experienced an exodus of Arts and artists, the New World had an influx of Arts and thoughts by immigrating intellectuals, changing the scene for decades to come. The changes were drastically.
Economies slowly were rebuilt, the most urgent needs for survival were created, the world came to rest again. People started to be interested again to look over their borders, where interested to see what their neighbor countries were doing. But excess to information was limited. Political diverse systems had for long time shut their borders not allowing anyone to look in or out.
ITI, an organization created to facilitate exchange of thoughts and forms between artists grew because of such political condition. It wanted to assist flow of information and create transparency across borders of political divers and competing systems, created by ideological differences.
That means those first large scale exchanges in modern times were the result of transmigrating artists due to political conflicts and resettlement.
Flow of information over the borders and over oceans was still in development. The media as a tool for exchange was still in its infancy, technologies were still crude and simple. The need for incoming news grew proportionally to our personal well-being. Some countries needed more than others, some countries had to give more than others, trying to balancing out the wealth of knowledge.
Europe is a relatively small place with many countries close to each other. France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the big Eastern Bloc with Germany as a hated nation geographically in its center -- itself divided, dividing others. Who was able to freely talk together? Who found a need? Nearly nobody?
America—a large country, isolated in its largeness had to assimilate all these new ideas and influences brought in.
Asia? Still submerged in their traditions.
So far roughly about the historic political, economic condition from which we have to understand the growing needs for exchange over borders and cultural, political, economic systems. The world due to sophisticated media got smaller, economical well-being created time for interest to look further.
Once bridges were built between the New Worlds and Europe, still there were enormous gaps between politically opposed systems. Arts and culture exchange were one way of breaking through this ice.
The interest shifted to isolated neighbors, the then so-called 3rd World and underdeveloped countries. Education means expansion, influencing established hierarchies and breaking down barriers. The strong one gives or rejects, the weak one assimilates.
I am not a historian only a theater worker seeing it from that position as a participating creator not as an evaluating historian or anthropologist.
Concerning Theater
Theater is just a small aspect of all these cultural expressions to be exchanged. Books printed and translated traveled fast, painting, music, reproduced as well could easily travel. Theater is a luxury item, a mixed form of literature, Fine Arts, music, movement, etc., hard to make accessible over distance. A unique form with a much more limited audience and interest. The media cannot deliver it to your home (at least up to 20 years ago, with the arrival of TV and Video).
ITI in a formal way, as much as other institutions or individuals have fostered such cultural exchanges in good faith of helping information to flow and to stimulate education. They helped and help to introduce cultural identities, cultural unique colors to each other. In the same time they influence and infiltrate cultures, creating new thoughts and facilitate changes of cultures. This is inherent to exchange. We learn from each other, adept what we find valuable, reject what we do not understand or not agree with.
What is today the function of ITI, or cultural institutions or individuals working in the field of exchange, cross- culturally creating events? So how does an ideal festival today looks like?
Ideal for artists and organizers equally?
What is the purpose today?
Why emphasize real life exchange when media can do it faster, cheaper, easier?
As mentioned in the beginning there are numerous kinds of gathering today on regional, national, international level in the field of Performing Arts. Each one of them fulfills the function the creators of these events have proposed and planned. Each one of them considers to have created the ideal gathering for his own sole purpose.
Today's media, not only TV, Video, Internet, to mention only the most recent development (and only for the advanced nations) but magazines, books, printed matters have connected artists, creators around the globe in a much tighter network then ever before. Information is much more easy accessible then ever before. We get the images and ideas delivered to our house when we want them, wherever we are.
With all the media we are still in need for the real thing. We want to see the performer, hear the music enjoy the artwork live, share the same room and atmosphere together with the performers. At least now as long as 'virtual reality' has not killed that need in us. But to enjoy the 'real thing' got so much more expensive. Virtual reality must win if it is cheaper. To exchange real life art becomes a luxury. Already to produce performances is a luxury only the most dedicated person can afford paying for it.
To create Festivals we need understanding sponsors and artists who understand the need for exchange. Real life exchange of Arts is sacrifice to not only gain.
Being asked to travel to another country to show my work poses many questions:
a. I have to leave my place of creation.
b. I have to travel, that means interrupt my work.
c. I have the inconvenience of being away from home, and my expenses continue.
d. I will be exposed to new thoughts and people that could endangering my thought process and disturb my peace of mind.
BUT on the other hand,
a. I have grown so much that I was invited with my work, that means my name has traveled far.
b. I get to take a break from my work, can travel and see another culture, learn and I am being paid for it, to cover my expenses and missing income.
c. I will be exposed to new thoughts which could further my work at home.
For organizers it poses other kinds of questions:
a. What do I want this meeting of Arts to create and establish?
b. What good does it do for our city, country, people, artists?
c. What does my sponsor need or want? What will he support?
The occasion of this meeting allows me to focus on international gatherings. Concerning local or national events each of the participants will have their own thoughts about the ideal form. Concerning International Festivals I have to divide the discussion in two parts. The answers may look different seeing it from an Asian point of view. So let me begin with some general observations, and end with the Asian, and specifically Korean aspect.
Every city today being able to host an international large scale event must have developed a sponsorship and awareness in the public, large enough to be able to afford such expensive extravagances. It has to have funds and interest enough. There must be a need for such information exchange. Not every artist needs exchange, but we need to see his works we pay him, buy him -- Others want exchange -- they will donate. Organizers decide want they want.
Rituals, monarchs are mostly not the reason anymore. Here is no obvious 'third thing' a common denominator. What replaces the common thing?
Places like Avignon, Spoleto, New York, Metropolitan cities have in recent years developed to be magnetic places. Why? Respected, famous artists have excepted invitations, places become known or have been centers of cultural exchanges over the years. Certain places pride themselves only to invite 'superstars' and 'famous productions.' It fits their position.
Organizers travel around the worlds looking for the most famous, most respected event, invite them to show their own people these productions. Upcoming stars yearn, are eager to be invited, have to win respect in their own country over years of working to reach the level of being seen far away, talked about, discovered. It all follows a hierarchical system, like football world cup or the Olympics.
Now, if being able to invite internationally accepted artists, or better to create, produce, organize a festival for the Arts, is this the only way to go, or are there other considerations.
It seems to me that there are different kinds of artists or groups.
1. The 'older generation' of heroes, already in the Olympia, (cultural heaven) although still alive
2. the well known artists still on earth, still developing.
3. the young controversial artist, where audiences are still arguing over their quality
4. the experimental and young generation, still formulating their language, about to establish themselves.
Let the heroes in heaven be in heaven. They are already part of a cultural museum. It is mostly only a question of prestige and pride to get them and for sure a question of money, means sponsorship. The remaining three groups are more interesting to me. Maybe, considering an international festival let the last, young experimental develop a little more. Leaves us with the one's still on earth and the controversial. For me that would be the first selection. If there is enough money, time, space, group 1 and 4 should join, but not if it means to sacrifice in group 2 and 3. If money, time and space are considerations -- focus.
Asia
We cannot use the same scale or plan for Western or Eastern Festival. Different view point of selection and principals apply. We, I have to focus more on an Asian later specifically Korean context.
ITI was founded 1948 in Prague. We all can imagine political, economical condition and resulting needs for open up or breaking down walls to gain access to information—or to bring information to elevate isolation, create bridges.
An Asian Festival has a different context, different values. The Asian World, different countries at different degree, still relatively isolated, is still very attached to traditional values. Their traditional values have developed and found -- slowly -- their own way of approaching contemporary art forms.
Most of these contemporary forms have been modeled, influenced by Western education, images, influences, thoughts. They have been reasonably successfully transformed to become Asian. Most of these forms or thoughts are result of third hand experiences and information, often misunderstood or too much adored. More than often own traditional values are disrespected. For long time information was hard to get -- the 'real thing' was inaccessible.
Now during the last 15 years we have developed systems and media that we get all the information we want, now we want the real 'thing.' Considering the delay of information and taste indigenous to our culture, we want that what we imagine to be contemporary. Many discussions between artists are dated, as are the information. Now having access to the real thing, we can update our experience. For that we need venues like festivals, artists and groups to accept our invitation.
What Asia doesn't have in prestige and fame like New York or Avignon it must have in money or the magic of the 'unknown world.' The growing interest in Asian thought, life style, tradition and development can be helpful.
How can we attract, for example, western artists to take us serious, in our search and need for exchange, resulting in information on both sides?
Are foreign artists interested in exchange, giving and getting? Seriously -- superficially? Experience tells us -- only a few are? It's sad but true. Life is short work is hard, income is low, time is valuable. I go where I get the most -- fame or money - whatever. Most professionals think that way and they cannot be blamed. Going to Asia or Buenos Aires is cultural tourism -- afforded if paid. We know we have to pay for education and in an Asian context, festivals serve education. Now we have funds we can and must buy information.
Conclusion for Asian Festival
Become an economic power, develop venue for presentation, find large conglomerates as sponsors, buy what you need for your culture. Deals are made. Everyone involved risks to fail—so go to the sure, accepted way without risk. The values can not be like this.
But how to go about t?
1. Where are you thinking of holding your festival? What theme should be consider knowing your own present condition or the purpose of the festival?
2. Clear your head about your program. Whom do you want to invite, from one country? Does he represent his own contemporary tradition in an innovated way? How does he relate to the idea of going East?
Invite artists from groups 2 and 3 if money and time are restricted to keep movement, vibrancy. Look into the generation younger than the age of the organizers and sponsors. Dig deeper when select, give yourself time. It's most important.
3. Consider the combination of artists invited. Tune the program considering theme, form, presentation, production value. Avoid the feeling of cultural supermarket.
4. First condition is always funding. Find a 'clean' sponsor. Many artists have a social and political awareness and want to be connect to funding from cultural institutions—which in turns are funded by government or by businesses.
5. Consider a schedule that allows visiting artists to see other production. They might never have a chance otherwise, since they normally don't travel. Invited artists are a good audience. Schedules of large scale events normally don't allow time to see other artist's work. Its mostly enough for artist's ego to be invited, but it must be in their nature to see something too.
6. Create time and space for the artists or leaders of groups to meet, not necessarily in seminars by the way they are accommodated. This does not exclude seminars.
7. Let them enjoy the host country's culture and contemporary forms of art. After all they are appreciating cultural tourists.
8. See them as people who are artists even when they are not wearing their professional mask.
9. Ask the invited artists to allow insight into their way of life, meaning way of production, funding, approach to theater in their society.
10. Avoid competition. Its not the Olympics
11. Introduce the third item. What makes guests enjoy to come, beside fame and money.
12. Common 3rd thing. Save the life form of art—expression to counter virtual reality which is cheaper, cleaner, faster Spirit of breath
13. Real theater in non-subsidized society is endangered by TV film. Real theater is a fossil, archaic, hard to move, expensive, rare. Respect these who are doing it. By inviting their spirit, not only their technocratic versatility/talent
14. Content of work not only aesthetic. Why are artists creating that work at this particular time of history in their country and what does it has to do with the host country.
15. Give a theme to the festival to make public awareness to 'now and here'
16. How can we revive or should we at all, ritualistic values as a third thing?
Who is God and monarch now?
Who should or could or is playing their role?
Money, Place, Prestige?
Audience have to participate, actually not only consumer (ritual)
17. Korean philosophy of craftsmanship
Monday, 13. May 1996
Manuel Lütgenhorst