Verhagen opent tentoonstelling Beelden aan Zee
Gelegenheid: tentoonstelling Beelden aan ZeeLadies and gentlemen,
Thank you for inviting me to be present at the opening of this exhibition of contemporary sculpture from Israel. An unusual event and an equally unusual setting – the Beelden aan Zee, or Sculptures by the Sea Museum is located under the Von Wied Pavilion, which was a birthday gift from King Willem the First to his wife. The art historian Jan Teeuwisse has been the director of the museum since 2002. By providing the space for this exhibition – which I very much appreciate – he is facilitating cultural exchange between the Netherlands and Israel.
Territorial Bodies is an intriguing title. The theme running through this exhibition of sculpture from Israel is the complex interaction between the human body, territory and identity.
Identity is a complex and contemporary theme. In the most basic sense, our identity is shaped by the ground under our feet. Identity revolves around questions like ‘where are your roots?’ and ‘where were you born?’
Identity is not only about territorial roots. Countless facts and life experiences shape us and make us the people we are in the course of our lives. Our families, our personal development, our common history, the language we speak, the culture and tradition we have grown up in – they all contribute to our identity and give us our sense of ‘belonging’. Our physical and emotional link with the place where we were born makes identity a hybrid concept that is manifested in many different ways and may change over time. Migration and globalisation evoke questions about identity. Borders are blurred by globalisation; migration makes cultures melt and mingle.
The world-famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim is an excellent example of mixed identity. He has four nationalities: he was born in Argentina of Russian Jewish parents, grew up in Israel, is an honorary citizen of Spain and now has a Palestinian passport as well. Barenboim is the first Israeli to hold both Israeli and Palestinian nationality and has worked for many years to bring about reconciliation between the two peoples. One of his achievements has been to found an orchestra that brings together young Israeli and Arab musicians. Together, he and they perform at leading musical venues all over the world.
I was born in Maastricht in the Netherlands, but I have lived in the western urban Netherlands (the Randstad) for many years. I have a Dutch passport. I feel Dutch, but I also feel that I belong to Limburg, the province where I was born, and to Voorburg, where I live now. And I also feel European and a citizen of the world. I try to express this in practice through my work as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In international politics today, developments in Israel are constantly holding our attention. It is very gratifying that Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas have breathed new life into the peace process. The Netherlands will do everything it can to support the initiatives taken in Annapolis. That was what I said last month when I visited Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Syria. I tried to convey my message not only in government-level meetings but also when I talked to schoolchildren, students, business people, civil servants and academics. To give the peace process a chance, it’s vital that everyone feels involved and has a sense that everyone’s voice is being heard. And in my opinion, that also applies to the world of the arts.
Israel is a complex society with uncertain borders. A society built up by immigrants belonging to various minorities and different generations, with different religious beliefs.
For many people in Israel, the connection between body and territory has a sacred meaning. To some of its inhabitants, the country is the Holy Land that was promised some four thousand years ago to the people of Israel. So it is a Holy Territorial Body – a ‘body’ that is an integral part of the religious identity of many Jews, and also many Christians.
However, certain places in contemporary Israel also have great significance for the religious experience and identity of Palestinians. These people still have no Territorial Body, no state of their own. When that long-cherished wish and need is eventually fulfilled, the two-state solution – which the Netherlands supports – will become a reality. The current developments in the peace process give cause for hope, though there is still a long way to go.
This year, Israel celebrates its sixtieth anniversary – a milestone in the history of this young democracy. Ever since the beginning of the last century, Israel’s art has been a quest for identity: the relationship with its Arab neighbours and the Jewish Diaspora has played a prominent part in this quest for over a hundred years. Four millennia of Jewish tradition, over a century of Zionism, the influx of Jewish immigrants since the nineteenth century and the sixtieth anniversary of the State of Israel have contributed to a dynamic culture with its own special identity. At the same time, the unique characteristics of the various minorities have survived intact.
The ongoing quest for identity finds expression in a wide range of art forms that reflect the unique character of Israel’s society. Because of course, there is much more to art than just aesthetics. Art investigates, reflects, asks questions, stimulates and connects. Art makes it possible for difficult subjects to be talked about, takes a critical look at society, breaks through stereotypes and taboos and builds bridges. Its strong visual impact creates an awareness that the spoken and written word cannot always achieve.
When we deal with conflict between communities, it is vital to see the human dimension. People on both sides need to realise that ‘the other side’ is not an abstraction, but a group of fellow human beings who have similar concerns, fears, longings and ideals. Art is an excellent way of expressing these feelings and creating mutual understanding.
There are a number of highly successful artists from Israel living and working in the Netherlands. Two of them are among the twenty leading artists in the Netherlands, according to a ranking done since 2004 by the Dutch magazine Kunstbeeld. Yael Bartana is ranked twelfth; the duo Gil & Moti share eighteenth place. Bartana and Gil & Moti all draw attention in their own ways to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They have settled in the Netherlands and as such are a permanent asset to Dutch art and culture.
Last year, Amsterdam hosted the exhibition Desert Generation, in which Israeli and Palestinian artists responded to the occupation of the West Bank and (at that time) the occupation of the Gaza Strip. The exhibition had previously been shown in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where, despite the sensitivity of the subject matter, it was given a positive reception. That is a fine example of how art can set people thinking about a social issue.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Territorial Bodies exhibits the work of fifteen artists from different walks of life within the society of contemporary Israel: immigrants and native-born, Israelis and Palestinians. I am grateful to Ronit Eden for bringing together these artists in an exhibition that makes connections and does not avoid complex questions. It certainly sets an example to politicians!
I hope that you will enjoy your visit and find the exhibition truly inspiring.
Thank you.