Cultural Horizons
Coordination: Bert Willems (bert.willems@pxl.be)
Researcher/Grant Facilitator: Jasper Vanhaelemeesch (jasper.vanhaelemeesch@pxl.be)
In contemporary society, culture is often perceived as a collection of entertaining products to be consumed: a film at the cinema, a theatre performance at the cultural center, a concert in the hall, or an artwork in the gallery. Cultural products that thrive in the market survive effortlessly, while those that do not are criticized, subsidized—often reluctantly—pushed into the realm of leisure, or disappear altogether.
Yet we all know that culture is far more than this. It is what binds us together as a society, fosters mutual understanding, and preserves meaningful ideas and practices across generations—providing the foundation for new developments. This perspective reflects a different, richer notion of value. Through Cultural Horizons, MAD-Research seeks to advance this value-driven understanding of culture across boundaries, creating possibilities for a resilient society.
Our Approach
First, we embrace a concept of culture that meaningfully bridges time—from past to present to future—recognizing that cultural innovation can only emerge from strong traditions, and that traditions matter most when they inspire renewal. From this standpoint, Cultural Horizons critically examines notions of Progress and Creativity, which often imply an exclusive focus on the future and a radical break with the past—an approach that undermines a truly valuable understanding of culture. Within this theme, we view the arts as an ideal medium for balancing tradition and innovation.
Second, we adopt a concept of culture that meaningfully bridges space—from the self, through our Western society, to others across the globe—acknowledging that interactions between self and other are inevitable, unpredictable, and precisely because of that, meaningful. From this perspective, Cultural Horizons questions notions of Tourism and Exoticism, which often reduce cultural encounters to activities aligned solely with the self—seeking to grasp rather than to listen. Here too, we regard the arts as a powerful instrument for negotiating the balance between self and other.
What we do
As a transversal research theme, Cultural Horizons develops artistic projects, gatherings, and publications that—sometimes against the current of society—stimulate a richer understanding of culture. These activities explore the formative balance between tradition and renewal, and the transformative interactions between self and other.
