The \"World in the Village\" festival has just come to a close, and the festival\u2019s performers\u2014Myanmar-born artist May<\/strong> and Taiwanese musician-diplomat Freddy Lim<\/strong>\u2014discuss what art can do when democracy fails.<\/p>\n\n According to May, art in Myanmar is not just culture or entertainment. It is a way to learn, understand, and survive. <\/p>\n\n \u201cIn Myanmar, education is limited. Not everyone receives a comprehensive education, and many have significant gaps in their knowledge. That\u2019s why people have learned to use art to convey information and to learn, she says. <\/p>\n\n Freddy Lim, who is sitting next to her, nods.<\/p>\n\n Lim, best known as the lead singer of the metal band CHTONIC, currently serves as a diplomat at the Taiwanese embassy in Finland. Yet he still considers himself, above all, an artist. <\/p>\n\n \u201cArt can break down polarization and broaden the conversation in a gentle way.\u201d \u201cAn artist doesn\u2019t force anyone to think a certain way, but helps people understand one another,\u201d Lim says. <\/p>\n\n Taiwan is considered one of Asia\u2019s most functional democracies. Lim believes that art has also played a role in the country\u2019s democratic development. <\/p>\n\n \u201cArtists speak of things that would otherwise be silenced. They help people see and feel things that mere news headlines cannot convey. <\/p>\n\n The same is true in Myanmar, where art has long held special significance as a tool for social discourse. When freedom of speech is restricted, culture becomes a way to circumvent fear and censorship. <\/p>\n\n According to May, art reaches people precisely because it does not require a deep political understanding.<\/p>\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not about having to study international politics for hours on end. People often find a reason to care through emotion.\u201d <\/p>\n\n \u201cDo you have time for good music, a video, or art? As you enjoy it, you\u2019ll find yourself connecting with the people behind these works.\u201d <\/p>\n\n Both May and Lim encourage people to attend events, get to know organizations, and seek out situations where they can encounter new perspectives.<\/p>\n\n \u201cIf you spend a moment with us, you can begin to better understand what\u2019s happening in our community.\u201d Organizations like Vikes build bridges between people, May says. <\/p>\n\n She emphasizes that the goal is not to blame anyone or require mastery of complex political vocabulary.<\/p>\n\n \u2013 We want to organize more festivals, create more art, and bring people together.<\/p>\n\n Lim adds with a smile:<\/p>\n\n \u2013 And at the same time, it sparks more inspiration to create new art.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What do music, film, and art have to do with democracy? May, an artist born in Myanmar, and Freddy Lim, a Taiwanese musician and diplomat, believe that art is what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":23779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nArt speaks of what politics remains silent about<\/h5>\n\n
Democracy begins with encounters<\/h5>\n\n