«To each epoch, its art. To art, its freedom.» Victor Horta
The loudest sound in Brussels is not what you’d think: tourist waffle-chewing, Mannekin Pis-tinkling, wine-swirling, multilingual eurocratic chatter, disgruntled demonstraters. Brussels is noisier than that. Jackhammers and dump trucks are hard at work all over the city to bring it up to speed with the demands of its people, especially in the Eurozone. Gleaming steel buildings go up in the blink of an eye.
The construction is necessary, even favoured, despite all the traffic snarls that occur as a result. A common complaint is that the EU is too crowded–certainly in terms of physical space. Whether the 27-sided table is politically too big and too awkward is a constant point of argument, especially since 8 central and eastern European members joined in 2004. From discussions today, it’s clear that not all Eurocrats, let alone Europeans, have adjusted to their ascension. And with three more states in formal negotiations, it makes for a crowded, not to mention complicated, institution (more on that later).
The hotly debated Lisbon treaty will refigure the Union’s legislative makeup in subtle but significant ways. Don’t you dare call it a constitution, but essentially that’s what it is. The current version is 300 pages long, in 10 point type, and pretty much an addendum to the handful of other treaties that have been passed in the last 50-odd years. Did you know that as a courtesy the Irish government sent it to each household? (source: Jakob Bork) No wonder they are firmly set against it. They don’t understand it. But with time they will probably bow to the pressure. One spokesperson we spoke to expects it to happen by the fall. I highly doubt any EU commissioner, MEP, European citizen, or journalist will read the thing from cover to cover before it comes into force. Maybe there are a handful of masochistic policy nerds who get a kick out of doorstopper legislation.
On Monday, our tour guide Florence showed us the newer areas of the city, and pointed out buildings that are examples of “facadism” — whereby the innards were torn out but for heritage reasons the fronts left standing. Tomorrow, we will visit the house of Victor Horta, the founder of the Art Nouveau movement who was hailed for rejuvenating French art in the early 20th century. Brussels’ architects are debating Europe’s most nagging questions right out in the open air.
Horta’s style was flowery and curvilinear, and perhaps a little overly ornate. Up close, it seems like there’s too much stuff; you don’t know where to look. But if you take a step back, you realize it’s not too bad. Nice, even. This could work. Maybe?
I realized we could say the same for Europe. I don’t think any European fully understands the EU, not even Commission President Barroso (arguably the EU’s most powerful man–who incidentally isn’t even elected!–and who I saw up close today). But the bigger picture is that the EU works. Europe is more prosperous, more stable, more progressive, more productive than it has ever been. Perhaps we’re standing in front of a Europe Nouveau?
Pour demain, a Maastricht!
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