Frie Leysen on Art, Festivals, and Resisting Conformity

At the Festival Crisalide in Forlì, programmer Frie Leysen distinguished her role from that of a curator: a programmer centers artists and their work, while a curator centers themselves and their theme. She argued that artists are essential for analyzing and critiquing reality, as society grants them time to reflect. Leysen criticized many festivals for losing touch with reality, calling institutions like the Vienna Festival 'dinosaurs' corrupted by a desire to please everyone. She advocates channeling energy into imagining alternative worlds rather than fighting such institutions. Leysen emphasized that art is not meant to please but to disturb, and that quality cannot be measured by numbers. She opposes participatory performances, stating that only a few possess true artistic talent. For programmers, she advises leaving room for surprise and making the unthinkable thinkable. Leysen selects artists by following them for years to understand their societal position and creative evolution, ensuring coherence of values. She believes festivals should create a concentrated experience that breaks habits and fosters mental connections. Risk-taking is essential, as is honest communication with audiences, avoiding superlatives in brochures. Leysen calls for a new radicality in the art world, resisting the pressure to conform to political, public, press, and peer expectations.