Prizewinners and provocations in Skien

The conference "Artistic freedom - Myths and Realities" was opened with an impassioned speech given by the Norwegian Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske, who stated, among other things, that artistic activity is democracy in practice. To the extent that art projects can create meeting places and build bridges between people, it will hereby be possible to reinstate the belief that conflicts can be resolved through culture, said Giske. Particularly in areas where people experience oppression, art can serve as an important voice, since art´s communication is, in principle, immediate. And theatre in this sense is the most immediate art form of all. Artistic freedom, on the other hand, stems from political freedom, said the Minister and he gave examples of places in the world where Ibsen´s works have been censored.

The atmosphere in the room grew sombre as curator and gallery owner Tran Long spoke about his work in Hanoi, where contemporary art has encountered restrictions imposed by the public authorities. An artist who had been invited to exhibit his work in Hanoi was obliged to change the title of one piece in that it was perceived as being too pessimistic and thereby a criticism of Vietnam. When Jamil Osman from the censorship authorities in Bangladesh took the floor, his words resulted in an awakening for many. He explained the obligatory censorship routines for films in Bangladesh, and the list was long one. We learned that films are not permitted to weaken in any sense audience morale, but instead are to have a regulatory effect on audiences. Films must not come across as politically agitating and must always protect the Islamic faith. Films that ridicule religion or the dowry tradition could expect punitive consequences. Lesbian relationships must never be shown and neither scenes from the bedroom. In 2002 the film Matir Moina won a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, but was nonetheless never shown in Bangladesh, its country of origin.

Tran Long

Theatre professionals from Vietnam, the USA, England and Pakistan spoke about their theatre projects and respective working conditions. Also in countries without censorship, it is in certain cases necessary to exercise caution. The performance artist Kate Pendry, for example, has received rape threats, and each and every American feels the pressure of the "tyranny of economy", as Hal Cropp from Commonweal Theatre expressed it.

For Sir Peter Brook, the theatre is life itself, also literally speaking with regard to his more than sixty-year long career. The respect that he holds for Ibsen is connected with Ibsen´s passion. The intensity that we recognise from Brand´s "all or nothing" or Solness´ dreams of great heights, demonstrate the dramatist´s conviction in the realisation of that which lies behind, of that which is better, Brook explained. Because Ibsen never relented in his quest but always continued searching, his works retain a positive force, according to the pleased winner of the International Ibsen Award. The audience greatly enjoyed the rare opportunity to meet with this guest and responded with a resounding applause.

There were also happy faces to be seen among the recipients of the International Ibsen Award stipends: Winners from Bangladesh, Norway, the USA and Afghanistan can now commence their projects with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Culture. The auspicious programme on this day was concluded with the announcement of the winner of the National Ibsen Award, which this year was awarded to the author and dramatist Edvard Hoem for the play Mikal Hetles siste ord ("Mikal Hetle´s Last Words"). The plot is taken from reality and as such, the play functions as a meta-drama. The trial against Mikal Hetle is a brutal story about a miscarriage of justice, where Hetle was condemned for murder and his name later cleared, but only long after his death. The play was staged at the Sogn and Fjordane Theatre in December 2007. The Ibsen Award is Norway´s only award for dramatists and is for NOK 150,000 along with a statue of Henrik Ibsen made by artist Nina Sundbye.

Edvard Hoem and the Norwegian Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske