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"Why do the nations rage so furiously together?"

Federation
Insights

Embracing Artists beyond their nationality

Autumn leaves cover the ground in a kaleidoscope of colour, from golden yellows to scarlet reds. A light breeze stirs in the warm afternoon sun, while birdsong accompanies the mellow sounds of a Schubert impromptu. There is no stage; the grand piano simply rests on the leaf- covered ground.

Despite its peaceful atmosphere, this concert is part of a chamber music series at the DMZ Open International Music Festival. The DMZ, or Demilitarised Zone, is a four kilometre wide strip of land separating North and South Korea - one of the most heavily armed and fortified borders in the world. For many, the DMZ represents the human cost of war and division, while for others, it signifies an untouched natural reserve due to its isolation. This duality -of separation and untouched wilderness- makes the DMZ a potent space for artists looking to explore themes of conflict, reconciliation and coexistence.

The programme of the DMZ Open Music Festival not only reflects these themes but also supports international efforts to separate artists from nationalities and national symbols. Rather than reducing an artist to a representative of a nation, this concept of denationalisation seeks to look at an artist as an independent and unique personality, detached from prejudices or biases associated with certain countries.

Pianist Kyubin Chung at a recent performance of the DMZ Open international Music Festival in Korea ©WFIMC2024

Denationalisation is important in times of international conflicts and geopolitical tensions. Whether it is the two Koreas, Russia’s war in Ukraine, Israel's conflict with Gaza and Lebanon, or the tensions between China and Taiwan— artists are frequently used as tools for political propaganda and are often subjected to discrimination.

Unlike athletes competing at events such as the Olympics where they represent specific countries, today's artists are citizens of the world, often living across multiple cities, and therefore don’t belong solely to one country. Take a famous winner of a recent piano competition: born in Paris to Chinese parents, he has a Chinese name, was raised and educated in Montreal, and now lives in Berlin. Would it not be better for an audience to know all these details rather than identifying him with only one nationality and a small flag next to his name?

As the sun sets over the autumn-coloured hills of South Korea, Schubert ́s G flat major Impromptu fills the air with emotion. In moments like this, would anyone think about Schubert’s Austrian nationality? The pianist Kyubin Chung recently won the ISANGYUN Competition in Tongyeong. Like their namesake Isang Yun—the great Korean composer—Chung was born in Korea. Today, he lives in Germany.

 

©WFIMC 2024 with friendly permission of International Arts Manager magazine.