“I see a lot of changes, but I also see a lot of resistance“

Natalia Hecht on D/Arts in conversation with Gwendolin Lehnerer

To come back: What do you think about cancel culture?

Well, this is a very important aspect of how we use language. Language matters a lot, and it’s also a part of how we’ve become sensitive about many things. If you are sensitive and you work on your sensitivity toward others, you will try to find words that are resonant with the realities of other people, and that do not perpetrate stereotypes, or exclude in the way you communicate about others. I see these a lot, because I work with the topic of exile, and with experiences of exile; I work in camps, in projects that had to do with communities who were forced into exile because of war, or because of structural situations. And I see how the use of language already shows different levels of sensitivity about a topic. For example, if you talk about refugees, if you become more empathic about those relationships, when you understand what others are going through and try to connect with them, you also become aware of how words can affect people. I think you can see it on different levels: You can see it on the institutional level, like in the way that an organization that is not actively working on diversity is creating harm, unfortunately, because they are determining ways of thinking about art – they are promoting stereotypes. You can see it on a group level; you can also see it individually. Personally, I believe that a big challenge for us – and especially for those who are at the forefront of this movement – is to work on creating connections. The moment people disconnect from each other and don’t want to talk about this, we lose a big opportunity. That’s why we must be strategic, and it’s a slow process to connect with others and create this awareness. If we do not speak to one another, the possibilities of change also become less. I think we need to see it as waves of change: There is an openness to one aspect, and we can work on that one, and then we can change things a little bit more. I think we have learned a lot with D/Arts and Brunnenpassage about how to be strategic and say: ‘Now our step is this, and we’ll do that.’ Being inside the institution, having one person in the team – this little step is already the basis for more. For me, it’s connecting, in a way. Sometimes it’s not easy: Being an activist for diversity, you sometimes feel drained, because it’s a lot of energy to try. And sometimes people might even tell you: ‘Can you train me in what I must do?’ And it’s not about that. People who have already been excluded or disadvantaged are sometimes dealing with their own survival situations, and they also have the task of training others, or doing this emotional work with others. This is where we must also take care of the people who are involved. It’s about the politics of care – collective care and self-care.

In the fall of 2022, we will start a D/Arts Forum Salzburg. What tips can you give us here?

For me, at the beginning, when you come to a place, it’s important to create relationships: to be with people, to spend time with them. Sometimes, it’s having a picnic with someone, or having lunch, or visiting someone, or being part of the life of someone else. This already creates a basis for starting something. I think the fact that this has already been initiated is such a big step – that D/Arts is being presented in Salzburg is a very important step. Everywhere, there are people who have more sensitivity or who want to create change, and sometimes they are all alone. Who can be an ally in those situations? This is more about identifying allies and multipliers; that’s a very important aspect of the work. Try to identify who these people are, who are already change-makers in what they do, in their interactions, and figure out how can you connect with them and bring them together somehow. Start creating this network of change. And once you have this, the work with the institutions at the beginning is a lot of work. As I said, it’s strategic work. Find a way to start. It helps a lot when you have a great deal of knowledge, and I see that D/Arts has this potential, because we have been working on this for so many years with so much depth that we have all these strategies and all these resources, not only from a theoretical point of view, but also at the action level. Go to this source and think together. We are here for your work and for whatever you need; we can think together about how to do it, how to create strategic relationships, and how to identify the allies and to engage them. Our artistic projects are a good platform for connecting people. Start to work on these levels of awareness through co-creation.

Thank you very much for your advice and your time!

Thank you and good luck with D/Arts Salzburg. We will keep in touch!

Natalia Hecht, Gwendolin Lehnerer ( 2022): “I see a lot of changes, but I also see a lot of resistance“. Natalia Hecht on D/Arts in conversation with Gwendolin Lehnerer. In: p/art/icipate – Kultur aktiv gestalten # 13 , https://www.p-art-icipate.net/i-see-a-lot-of-changes-but-i-also-see-a-lot-of-resistance/