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REINAART VANHOE: REGIONALISTS
The importance of Flemish characteristics
Since the Belgian hinterland separated itself in 1831 and, several
years later, Thorbecke established the first Dutch constitution, a
pragmatic spirit of commercialism has incited the convergence of
communities with opposing opinions. The horrors of WOI and WOII
convinced the different confessional-political groups of the sheer
relativity of their fundamental differences in opinion in the first
half of the 20th century, but it was not until the end of the century
that the pragmatism of the Purpel administration abated the final
remaining traces of religion and ideology from the government. It
appeared that the summit of consensus had been reached, and all
subsequent efforts were devoted to the perfection of our tolerant
nation with its economically secure targets, such as gay marriage,
legalisation of euthanasia, abortion, the consumption of soft drugs,
and prostitution. The final release of these restrictive chains was
celebrated with splendid kwakoe-like bacchanals of exotic snacks and
world music.
However, the fireball of 9-11 elucidated that our apparently united
nation contained pernicious, anti-western elements. Honour murders,
forced marriages, discrimination of gays and women and fundamentalism;
all antiquated and non-western, all on the conto of the immigrants, and
all covered with the cloak of charity for years. An immediate identity
crisis choked the down-to-earth Dutch. They demanded the direct
assimilation of all non-natives and the enlightenment of their retarded
cultures. But what exactly is ment with enlightened western identity?
The Flemish history is characterised by century-long French, Spanish,
Dutch and German oppression. As with other oppressed peoples, it
appears that the Flemish are unable to deal with their humiliating
past. They often revert to escapistic phantasies, or a moderating
attitude. The famous 19th-century writer Hendrik van Conscience
endeavoured to relieve the Flemish from their humility with his
historic novel De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (The Lion of the Flemish),
describing one of the (few) victories over the French. With the same
purpose, contemporary heroes such as Jerommeke and Jean Claude Van
Damme subdue one oppressor after the other.
The Flemish artist Reinaart Vanhoe (1972, B) appears to be
compassionate with the humble as well, but his tactics are essentially
different. Not the celebrated saviours who surpass their ill-fated doom
are placed on a pedestal but, instead, the weak themselves. For
example, in his speech titled Celebration of July 11, he emphasises the
cunning strength of the weak with a plea for the typically Flemish
‘arrangeren’ (arranging). In the installation UITVERKORENE (the chosen
one) the spectators are raised by ascending a stage, where their heads
are entangled between pamphlets saying “chosen one”. By means of
anti-heroic tails Vanhoe celebrates the ambivalent strength of the
resilient subjects. His supports of the medocre, the unpreposesing, or
the common; can be considered as a brave position in the concurrent
violence of levelling, upscaling and democratisation.
Text Siebren de Haan, Regionalisten catalogue
Speach on the Dam-square in Amsterdam, on the occasion of the ‘11-juli-celebration’, Vanhoe, 2002
“Dear Friends. I cordially welcome you to this celebration of the
Flemish National festivity; a festive day to celebrate of an ethnic
minority in the Netherlands. In view of the decentralisation of several
communities, it is of importance that the 11-July-celebration also
occurs in Amsterdam. Nowadays, it is not just the the country itself
and its inhabitants that form the strength of unity, but its characters
and the inheritance of this character in its descendant, irrespective
of their location. In the current dissemination, it is important to
place the characteristics of a person into a historical context. Is
there such a thing as a general Flemish character? Is there a
multicultural character being a mixture of Flemish, Belgian, Spanish,
Italian, Turkish, European, Asiatic, Anglo-Saxon, American
characteristics?
...With this purpose, dear friends, we have united today on the
occasion of a historic summit for the people known as the Flemish. A
historic moment, insignificant to the rest of the world but, whenever
it suits us, we favour to be blind. We unite happily with the cordons
bearing coats of arms, who aim to enforce their will. However, whenever
this yields a positive result, we crawl from under the shields with our
heads up high. Until shortly after, in an un-guarded moment of ecstasy,
a new humiliation follows, and we silently hide ourselves behind our
shields.
...Every people has its weakness and its unguarded moments. Throughout
our entire history, we have been forced to hide our nature. And this
has shaped our character, which makes us individuals and, in one way or
another, special. Our ability to relativise and our down-to-earth
disposition are examples of such important characteristics. So are the
circumvention of rules, whenever the needs of the many require this.
The so-called “arrangeren'” is not just some-thing to cause shame, but
also some-thing of which we should be proud. In this generalisation of
society, it is important to occasionally return to the essence of the
soul, to see that our roots play an essential part. It improve one's
understand of oneself. Although we are currently outside the realm of
our soil, it is nevertheless appropriate to spend a moment of
11-July-celebration.
Extract from the symposium Global/Local, 2nd phase Breda, Vanhoe, 2001
When I first lived in Holland, everyone asserted that I should maintain
my ownness, that the language was beautiful and the Bourgondic was
splendid. I appeared to be a charming sweet Flemish, with a lovely
language. Was I an uncut diamond, which required conservation? Was I to
be glued in a picture book? For a moment, I considered acting as the
arrogant Frenchman. Non je n’use pas des droges, je les deteste. Notre
pays est le plus grandes en Europe, donc tais toi, nous avons la Cote
d’Azur, nous-avons des Alpes, des truffel, fois gras, une station
nucleaire, nous avons Sartres, Le Corbusier, Mondrian était chez nous,
le Tour Eiffel, le T.G.V., le beaujolais, le bordeaux, des cognac,
champagne. But in addition to my defective French, I was unwilling to
lower myself and the effort appeared somewhat exaggerated. I admit, I
am a (South)-West Flemish;
One with a love-hate relationship. One who would like to be part, but
who will never be part. One who is a bit conservative, but with an urge
to be progressive, compellingly. One who assesses the position of
outsider as the best. I had no need to conserve myself. Instead, I
wanted to learn, I wanted to maintain myself as a general person.
Shape.
Well, yeah, mine is gone. Ever since I moved away from the canal, it
has been going downhill. It seems like ages, since I last jogged. I
wanted to join a club, but I was uncertain how long I would be staying
here. There is no point in becoming a member somewhere, and then leave.
Next, I wanted to take up skating, because we are in the Netherlands,
but, well, then I thought it might be nicer to rollerskate and before I
knew it I wanted to ride bicycles, exert myself with head wind, or no,
then I wanted to play tennis, nice and relaxed, but in the mean while,
I am doing nothing. Maybe if some of my acquaintances had been into
something, then it would have been easier to choose, then you have a
certain dynamic which is determinant. Yeah, people play soccer in the
park, and it is fun, but the circumstances are difficult, because the
player do not really form a team. I am not talking about level or
anything, but you have to be able to understand one another. That is
why I do not frequently participate. There is nothing else I am worried
about. So, no, I am out of shape. Well, this was no actually meant as a
question with regard to your physical shape...
I wanted to inquire about your current whereabouts, and the concerning
conditions. But maybe you did understand my question.
Probably, you could not have given a more appropriate answer.
Another drink?
They probably do not have Leffe Blond, nor Rodenback, nor Deconink.
But Palm.
I am not fond of Palm, maybe a regular beer, maybe not, I see they serve Oranjeboom.
Westmalle double maybe?
No, to sturdy.
Duvel?
No, you and your Duvel and Westmalle, as if everyone likes those beers.
A tarwebok?
Well, maybe that is not such a bad idea. Excuse me, but it not cold.
Are you going to the pub for punishment overhere?
Texts Reinaart Vanhoe, Regionalisten catalogue
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