verBELGingsfeest
Anyuta Wiazemsky Snauwaert
- Wed 10.6 17:00 — 19:30 Stadhuis Kortrijk
In Dutch
What if becoming a Belgian citizen was a celebration? Anyuta and the alderman of Kortrijk welcome everyone to a ceremony and festive waffle party! They welcome new citizens and bring them together with other residents to celebrate a shared future.
Anyuta herself describes their path to Belgian citizenship as a marriage in which only one partner was present to say ‘I do’. The lack of an official welcome inspired her to develop a ritual for new Belgians.
Becoming or welcoming new Belgians, what does that mean, as a community? What kind of country do we want to be? What is nationality in a world that needs to be decolonised? Anyuta would like to contribute to making newly arrived Belgian citizens feel equally welcome. And so began their research into what a welcoming ritual – and perhaps one day a truly national ceremony – could be. The aim of verBELGingsfeest (or BELGification party) is to introduce the concept of hospitality within the state apparatus, reflecting on our contemporary citizenship. After all, you don’t eat a waffle alone, do you?
“The ironic undertone of the piece reveals a cynical underlying layer: however much we may need rituals, every ritual also determines who is and is not allowed to take part.”
Credits
by Anyuta Wiazemsky Snauwaert with Navid Fayaz music aR olfactory artist Louise Huyghe graphic design Paola Cubillos coaching Katya Ev, Steven Jolly, Liesbet De Cock externe eye Kim Snauwaert coproduction KAAP, kunstencentrum BUDA, workspacebrussels, Molenfest with support of the Flemish Government, Flemish Community, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, cultuurdienst Anderlecht with thanks to De Grote Post, CAMPO, Limiditi – Projects d’Art Temporaire, Cirqu’Conflex, BAMP, De Rinck, De Figuranten, RADAR, Faberllull Olot, Cultureghem, Escale Du Nord, CC Mouscron