The "Changemakers" exhibition, currently showing in Strasbourg after its initial run in Brussels, features works from the European Parliament's contemporary art collection alongside recent acquisitions. The exhibition showcases pieces from what organizers call "artivists" - a portmanteau of "artists" and "activists" - though critics argue this label serves as a more appealing alternative to "official artists," which better describes their role in promoting European Union ideology.
The exhibition is structured around core EU principles, beginning with freedom of thought and expression, which organizers describe as "pillars of a fully democratic society." However, this theme has drawn skepticism given concerns about declining freedom of expression across Europe. J.D. Vance stated in February that "throughout Europe, I fear that freedom of expression is in decline," a sentiment that appears validated by the current Chat Control project, which despite its protective veneer, seeks access to all private messaging.
Among the works illustrating freedom of opinion is an installation by Bozhana Slavkova, described as "a subtle metaphor on the current possibility of moving freely across the continent, a freedom that was unimaginable for many Europeans several generations ago." Critics question this "subtlety," noting that Europeans have traveled across their continent for millennia, with notable exceptions occurring primarily when communist regimes erected barriers like the Berlin Wall.
The second theme, "Democracy and Voting," presents a complex picture of EU democratic processes. While European citizens voted for Members of the European Parliament in 2024, neither ordinary citizens nor national populations directly elected Ursula von der Leyen to lead the European Commission. EU leadership appears uncomfortable with popular opinion when it doesn't align with their preferred narrative, as Romania discovered in December 2024 when its democratic choices faced EU resistance.
Artist Sára Bányai contributes to the democracy theme with a card game honoring Malmö communities, encouraging them to take control of their destiny through voting. The choice seems ironic given Malmö's well-documented issues with communalism and Islamism. Bányai's artistic vision appears limited in scope, with her stated ideal being a "community festival" where participants "ate vegan fish croquettes while dancing to djembe drums."
The third major theme focuses on migration, with featured works echoing European plans aimed at "promoting inclusion for all" and recognizing "the important contribution that migrants bring to the European Union." The exhibition emphasizes cultural diversity and "the peaceful coexistence of various entities," notably referring to European populations as vague "entities" rather than distinct peoples. This approach reflects what critics view as EU idealism regarding multicultural integration.
The final theme calls for "caring for the most vulnerable," with organizers suddenly invoking Christian values and declaring that "charity is at the heart of this theme." However, the focus remains exclusively on "integration of foreigners and refugees," while victims of crimes committed by some migrants - such as the victims of Pakistani grooming gangs in England - receive no acknowledgment. The exhibition's organizers might argue that such issues fall outside their purview since the United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU.
The exhibition represents a stark departure from Europe's historical artistic traditions, including national movements and continental styles like the "International Gothic" around 1400 - ironically, an era when Europeans supposedly "didn't travel at all," contradicting the exhibition's earlier claims about historical mobility restrictions. This shift marks the end of an era of organic European artistic development.
Contemporary EU-sponsored art appears conceptual and rootless, making it a natural match for the European Union's technocratic approach to governance. A brief examination of the European Parliament's contemporary art collections reveals what critics describe as the "interior poverty" of institutions that exercise both political and cultural influence over European populations. The "Changemakers" exhibition thus serves as both an artistic showcase and a window into the ideological priorities of European Union leadership.
