COMMENTARY: Culture wars - Arhinmäki vs. Klinge

Paavo Arhinmäki

Matti Klinge

print this

By Jaakko Lyytinen
     
      Newsflash: in the unlikely event that there are any living souls out there who are still unaware of the fact, let it be known that Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo Arhinmäki (Left Alliance) did not attend the official opening of the new Helsinki Music Centre.
      "I would rather go to a genuine concert than to some sort of glass-raising exercise of that sort", Arhinmäki stated in Helsingin Sanomat on August 31st.
      Instead of strolling across Mannerheimintie from Parliament to the Music Centre, the minister travelled to Lithuania to cheer on the Finnish men's basketball team at Eurobasket 2011. His presence apparently did no harm, as the team exceeded most predictions and progressed to the second round.
     
Nevertheless, Mr. Arhinmäki's decision
to snub one in favour of the other naturally whipped up a typhoon in a tall-stemmed cava glass.
      A couple of disparaging comments, the odd over-the-top tabloid headline, and a rebuke from the Sibelius Academy Student Union followed in short order.
      Arhinmäki's stunt caused a certain amount of nervous twitching in the corridors of high-end cultural establishments.
      Is this here Paavo chap only a friend of these ball-games, graffiti artists, and rap music, wondered the arts bosses, who have hitherto benefited in ample measure from the profits of the state-owned lottery agency Veikkaus, which comes under the management of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
     
Arhinmäki himself may not have foreseen the reaction.
      Or then again, it could be that in his media strategy he is as cunning as a fox, for the minister has now been in a position to explain his cultural thinking just about everywhere.
      Of the first-time fledgling ministers in the new government, only Interior minister Päivi Räsänen (Christian Democrats) has been able to command as much face-time and column inches in recent weeks (for the purposes of this discussion we will leave aside Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen of the SDP).
     
Most recently, Arhinmäki stepped up to smooth the ruffled feathers in the Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet(11.9.) by declaring that sports and culture are the same thing. "No nation operates without them both and hence it is important that they are not seen as mutual opposites", said Arhinmäki.
      He then clarified by asking: "What, for instance, are we going to call rollerblading? Is it youth work, culture, or sport?"
      This is a question that should certainly be put to Matti Klinge.
     
A few years ago, the eminent historian and emeritus professor of history from the University of Helsinki opened up to the 18-35s demographic in an interview for the free paper and what's-on guide City .
      Klinge commented that he was opposed to competitive sports "...because competing is repugnant. I have never followed sports events and tournaments."
      But does not (competitive) sport belong to our collective all-round cultivation?
      Yes, it does. And yet a part of the cultural elite continue to regard sport as a pastime pursued by cads and ruffians. This approach says something about a haughty and narrow-minded view of humanity.
     
An intriguing analysis of Arhinmäki's choices and the media discussion that has gone on was made in the Helsingin Sanomat opinion columns a week or so back (5.9.) by Ritva Leino and Esa Väliverronen.
      The way they see it, the discussion revealed just how wide a gap exists between the cultural views of the elite and the younger generation.
      A lot of interesting things exist and take place in the space between high culture and popular culture, they argue - things that cannot be easily pigeonholed.
      "The generation that has grown up in a world of video games, skateboards, graffiti, and housing squats has already taken - or is soon to take - power into its hands. For them, culture is about very different things than ceremonies."
      Leino and Väliverronen threw down a challenge to the media, which should in their view be prompting a broader discussion of the changes taking place in culture.
      We intend to follow these changes in the future. Without ignoring Music Centres.
     
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 13.9.2011
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Music Centre: We’re living in liquid times, Prime Minister (6.9.2011)
  Stravinsky´s Rite of Spring finally lights up Helsinki´s new Music Centre (1.9.2011)

JAAKKO LYYTINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
jaakko.lyytinen@hs.fi