In the circumstances in which this year's Bitef was effectively banned, the play that opened its alternative version, Pelico Process, in addition to the extraordinary political-artistic framework, had a strong political meaning. Not because of the topic it deals with, but because of the context in which it happened. While culture in Serbia is institutionally and extra-institutionally trapped, Pelico Process took place as an act of temporary liberation of all of us, the entire gathered community.
Nevertheless, a process was taking place on stage, perhaps even more important off stage. The process of freeing culture and art from political control. The audience, artists and organizers have shown that theater can and must function outside of repressive frameworks, despite bans, pressures and different disciplinary models.
Capturing culture
While the culture was freed piece by piece, it became starkly clear that artistic practice, both institutional and independent in Serbia, has long been in crisis. She is trapped politically, systemically, repressively. This process has been going on for years, but during Selaković's mandate, it became open, aggressive and devoid of any need for concealment.
This capture is not a symbolic representation of an instrument of cultural policy. It has its concrete and material administrative decisions, its competition commissions, its management boards, its bans and its silences. It also has its own name.
The process must continue.
On the day when culture on the stage of the FDU protests, breathes and does not remain silent, another process is officially opened in which the Minister of Culture becomes a suspect in a procedure concerning cultural property.
There is no formal confusion anymore about who is responsible for the status of culture in captivity, because if we talk about freeing culture, then we must also talk about the responsibility of those who captured it.
In that sense, process which started in the theater cannot remain alone. If there is a minimum of institutional consistency, process the liberation of culture must have its continuation beyond the scene in the area of rights, responsibilities and laws. Because culture cannot be free while its minister is above the law, at large.
The author is an assistant professor at FDU and coordinator of the Departmental Committee for Culture of the Democratic Party
Big holiday discount on "Vreme" - subscriptions 25 percent cheaper until mid-January. Give it away subscription to yourself or to someone else, read what matters.
