We are collaborators of Troubleyn/Jan Fabre, both past and present, as well as professionals from different backgrounds in art, culture, humanities, and science.

We are seriously concerned with the drift that we are observing in the cultural field as well as within the whole society. In all sectors, a wind of calumny, defamation and an absence of nuances accompanies ‘freedom of speech’ in the name of social movements, fighting for justice, women’s rights, recognition of the abuses of power, etc.

We want to emphasize that we fully support and recognize the social movements that fight injustice and oppression on the individual and collective level. As such, we fully stand by the #MeToo movement and its mission to achieve a more equal and just world between genders and to call upon the responsibility of those who used power against another. But we cannot ignore that, while the #MeToo movement was spurred from inequities that many women have experienced, its misuse has created new injustices, such as the Cancel Culture and public shaming. Our goal is to explore the underlying mechanisms that have led to these injustices and therefore to the current chilling climate of polarization in the intellectual and artistic life. Mechanisms that unfold in an atmosphere of mass hysteria in the media and social networks, obstructing the establishment of proper context, dialogue or insight.

We cannot agree with the methods used to accuse Jan Fabre and his company Troubleyn.  We cannot agree that some individuals and organisations act as judge, jury and executioner using an Open Letter as a weapon to commit a character murder on an artist and his organization. We are truly astonished observing how the distortion of facts, lack of contextualization, intellectual simplification and generational conflict all lead to the polarization that is affecting our lives, our work environment, and our society.

We have decided  to give our point of view on the narrative made on Troubleyn/Jan Fabre and  highlight the circumstances that transpired in this detrimental situation, by sharing different perspectives and experiences, and so consequently to ReFrame this narrative. We feel that our experience is an example of greater issues that raise questions about fundamental human rights, artistic freedom, freedom of expression, acknowledgement of responsibilities within the creative space, etc.

Pursuing a course of these questions led us to establish a web platform on which we are initiating writings, gathering and publishing articles, interviews, presentations etc. of experts in social sciences and art, reflecting on these topics. We want experts from various fields to join and work together on specific subjects to imagine and generate new perspectives.

With the Reframe platform we aim :

• To deepen our collective understanding of how we ended up living in today’s intolerant culture in which support for the oppressed’s legitimate struggle can easily turn into outrage over any unpopular opinion.
• To understand how social media are both amplifying and benefiting from these high-arousal emotions.
• To grasp why entire generations adopted a mindset that sees the world and the society as being in the midst of a war against power on all levels, and in which intellectual justification and exploration of ideas are dismissed as simply the tools of the powerful.
• To explore how to best engage in a debate in today’s society where diversity of opinions, diagnosing of problems and testing the best solutions are no longer essential.
• To address the current climate in the intellectual and the artistic life where (self)-censorship is accepted as the new normal and where newspaper articles are dismissed, memberships rescinded, academic papers revoked, shows and exhibitions cancelled, all in anticipation of the reactions they are likely to arouse by promoting an unpopular opinion.

We want to raise concerns about the kind of art and creative thinking that can emerge in this sort of climate.

In time the ReFrame platform will become a collection and exchange of diverse, critical and constructive thinking accessible to all and will hopefully inspire anyone interested in these subjects.

We feel that creating a space for intersecting perspectives will lead us to achieve a greater understanding of the present to create a future that is respectful of the values of all.

The world is a complex place and we believe that all attempts at imposing oversimplified versions of it will eventually turn against all of us.

The ReFrame platform aims to infuse thinking about the impact and consequences of art, the challenges of its processes, its impermanence in ever-changing surroundings, and the protection of its inalienable right to exist even if it is, at times, uncomfortable.

How to use ReFrame

The ReFrame Platform consists of 4 sub platforms, each with its specific content and approach:

1. ReFraming the narrative of Troubleyn/Jan Fabre
   The voices of current and past performers and collaborators sharing their experiences and perspectives in working with Troubleyn and Jan Fabre.
2. The Experts’ Frame (The social dimension)On this platform, we will initiate writings, gather and publish articles, interviews, presentations, etc. experts in (social) sciences and art.
3. The Artists’ Voices (The artistic dimension)
   Artists are given the possibility to share their perspective through their art.
4. My Frame (The personal dimension)
   Everyone who wants to share their writings, works, thoughts, opinions or experiences – at the individual or organizational level – to inspire or support others, are invited to do so.