When Discourses Intersect : “Save the Brussels’ Montmartre !”
In 2003, the last remaining neighbourhood of artists in Brussels, the Ateliers Mommen, was threatened by property developers. The press covered this extensively and were very supportive of the occupants. How can we explain this support when there are many such victims of property speculation ? And why, despite numerous reiterated arguments, did the media not publicize the artists’ demands for their rights ? Through analysis of the discourse of both the press and the artists, this article shows that the protection of studios depends on their evocative power, reminiscent of the myth of the Bohemian artist. This interpretative framework allows little space for civic justifications to counter the threat to property (destruction of the urban fabric) or the rights of artists (adapted working conditions). In this article, Boltanski’s and Thévenot’s model is presented as helpful in identifying the latent values and beliefs in the discourse and explaining certain tensions arising between them. Nevertheless, it is not useful in taking into account the social dynamics at play in the context. Eliciting this shortcoming allows us to deepen our reflection on the relations between art, artists and society.