Movement Profile
Do you feel European? Does Mr O’Keeffe in Ireland feel more or less European than Mrs Stylianou in Cyprus? If so, why? What is European identity and who feels included? The artistic project United States of Europe (U.S.E.) deals with these questions in a travelling exhibition through 10 European countries. The project aims to generate debate about the Europe we live in, functioning as a communication platform for people living in Europe.
U.S.E. is a large-scale, collaborative project coordinated by the Goethe-Institut Paris with nine partners from across Europe. Ongoing until May 2013, it is being presented in public spaces, galleries and museums in Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Portugal, Cyprus, Germany, Bulgaria, France, Ireland and Belgium.
The idea of U.S.E. was born out of the record-low 43% turnout in the 2009 European parliament elections, which I thought must be symptomatic of the low confidence that many Europeans have in the European Union project. Why do people not care about European citizenship? I have myself always felt a strong tie to Europe as a geographical entity, and I have always found things in common with many cultures in Europe. As I believe that art and culture are excellent ways to reflect on societal questions, I thought it would be very interesting to do a cross-discipline project that tries to find answers to questions related to European identity and citizenship, as well as to create a communication platform for people from many walks of life. My colleagues and I launched the project in November 2011.
U.S.E. Elements
U.S.E. is made up of four elements. One is called “artists interpretations”. Through photos, multimedia, video and other installations, the artists reflect on European identity, citizenship and society today. They take on issues such as democracy, poverty, marginalisation, immigration and nationalist movements in present-day Europe. The artwork lets visitors, for example, consider issues of “home” and homeland, their roles in the process of identity formation and power relations among European nation-states.
A second element is an interactive laboratory. It’s a creative environment for real-time exchange about Europe today. The interactive parts of the laboratory make it possible for visitors to give direct feedback through touch-screen terminals. Visitors also can see 3D visualisations and video-recorded interviews. These interviews constitute the third element of U.S.E. and are the result of a sociological study done for the project.
Sociological teams conducted semi-structured interviews in 10 countries. The interviewees were a diverse group: people well known by the public (politicians, philosophers and authors); people living in rural areas; young people who have encountered Europe as immigrants and a second group of young people who have experienced Europe through student-exchanges such as the Erasmus Programme. The final group of interviewees consisted of the artists who are presenting their works in the exhibition. Interviewees were asked about their travel experiences and how these influenced their attitude towards Europe; their evaluation of the status of European economic, socio-political and cultural integration; and their personal feelings and hopes regarding the sense of belonging to Europe.
Finally, the project organises debates. Among other topics, the debates take on questions that concern confidence in European politicians, social commitment and European identity.
United States of Europe?
The “United States of Europe” is a name given to multiple, though similar, hypothetical scenarios that envision Europe as a single nation or a single federation of states similar to the United States of America. European unification has been projected by writers of speculative fiction, political scientists, politicians, geographers, historians and futurologists. Moreover, the concept of the United States of Europe has been evoked by many high-profile historical figures, such as Napoleon Bonaparte, the Marquis de Lafayette, Winston Churchill, Tadeusz Kościuszko and Victor Hugo. In an 1849 speech, Hugo said: “A day will come when all nations on our continent will form a European brotherhood. … A day will come when we shall see … the United States of America and the United States of Europe face to face, reaching out for each other across the seas.”
U.S.E. is not propaganda for a federal Europe. Rather, it aims to increase citizen participation in today’s Europe. The idea is to play with the notion of identity and cultural borders in order to provoke and wake up people’s minds. U.S.E. aims to make us listen to others, interact with each other and give the vast European public a voice. The project was created out of a need to present a cultural project that adds new, diverse and artistic perspectives to the debate about the Europe we live in. With today’s severe economical crisis, it is more important than ever to present art and cultural projects that play important roles in the functioning of our society.
How to Participate
U.S.E. is a project for citizens by citizens, and people are invited to contribute their points of view. You can participate via the website. Look for the “participate” link or visit the online laboratory. You can share photos and stories or answer Europe-related quizzes and questionnaires. If you have seen the exhibition, you can leave your thoughts online about it. On the website you also will find information about the exhibition schedule as well as the different debates and workshops. The website is: www.go-use.eu.
U.S.E. is coordinated by the Goethe-Institut Paris with nine partners: the University of Lodz in Poland; the Lasipalatsi Film and Media Centre in Finland; The Red House in Bulgaria; the Centre of Culture and Art Initiatives in Lithuania; Transforma in Portugal; The Pharos Arts Foundation in Cyprus; AIDA in Belgium; Collectif L’Art au Quotidien in France and the Cork Vision Centre and the National Sculpture Factory in Ireland. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission (Culture Programme, strand 1.2.1, Cooperation Projects).
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