No city as rich in folk music as Antwerp. From 16th-century chaste tunes to timeless declarations of love and mysterious murder songs, from anonymous creators to unprecedentedly popular folk singers. House artists Sascha Bornkamp and Leonore Spee are curating three evenings at De Roma, where invited artists will enter into dialogue with this Flemish heritage.
Songs from the Flemish canon in a lip-sync drag performance; the Giant Song in a post-apocalyptic setting; Wannes van de Velde on beats. Welcome to A Nyeu Liedeken!
The Golden Age of Antwerp
During Antwerp's boom as a port city, urban diversity emerged and different communities with specific privileges developed. As a result, an ingenious political system was established. Together with artists and experts, we zoom in on this historical period. The Antwerp Songbook, which was included in the Flemish literary canon, serves as an artistic and historical starting point on 11 October 2021.
The political song
What role do folk songs play in political protest and social criticism? How can anthems today contribute to social change? To what extent is the role of today's media similar to that of the market singer in the past? Retrieved from 9 November 2021 focuses on the political and moral connotations in folk songs.
A living canon
The similarities between contemporary forms of artistic recycling and the historical recycling culture of folk music are the starting point of the final festival evening, on 19 November 2021. Which songs and stories survived the test of time, becoming part of the Flemish canon? Which ones did not? And how can we develop new forms of canonisation that adopt a more inclusive understanding of the canon and leave room for constant reworking and critical perspectives?
