Conclusions

This exposition aimed to illustrate the application of feminist strategies in transnational artistic collaboration between female folk musicians from Bulgaria and Finland (2018–2022). The research material for the exposition consisted of three music videos (2019, 2020b, 2022) based on my solo album Nani (2020a) and six ethnographic interviews with Bulgarian female folk singers (2020–2021). The feminist strategies for artistic work included the strengthening of women's agency in the field of transnational folk singing, the emphasis on transgenerationalism and the creation of counter-myths and counter-narratives. These feminist strategies emerged in all parts of the music video trilogy, but the thematic emphasis varied within and between the videos. The themes that were related to feminist strategies were also discussed in the research interviews, and the interview material was intertwined with a descriptive analysis of the strategies.

Feminist strategies were created and strengthened during the artistic process in various ways. These strategies were based, to begin with, on the value of supporting equality in transnational artistic cooperation when the Nani album and music video trilogy project began. Another endeavour was to raise awareness of silenced themes, such as gendered experiences of violence, through my compositions and music videos. In these ways, my artistic practice incorporated and further elaborated intersectional and feminist approaches, evolving into a specific practice of composing feminist folk music. Throughout this process, artistic practice and feminist theories not only overlapped but also constitutively influenced each other.

During the artistic work, the agencies of those women who were involved were strengthened in several areas and at several levels. The musicians and performers recruited for the album and music videos were almost all women. The composition and lyric writing focused on the development of feminist composition in the field of folk music. The concept of feminist folk music composition was introduced for the first time in the context of this exposition, and the method emphasised the interplay of folk poetry and elements of folk music with personal experience. The music was mainly composed and arranged according to women's voices, and the lyrics were about women's stories.

In both the compositions and the music videos, the feminine element was reinforced from a transgenerational perspective by highlighting women of different ages and by strengthening their interactions. The music videos were filmed in natural environments in both Finland and Bulgaria, highlighting how the female bodies and voices of different ages connected to nature and being part of nature. The transgenerational and affective significance of folk songs also emerged from the ethnographic interview data of Bulgarian singers. The scarcity of women composers was noted, as was the difficulty of motivating women to be composers for Bulgarian choirs.

The transgenerational aspect of the music video trilogy was symbolised by the Bird Crown, which carried the story of the videos. The content of the music videos was affected by two global crises, COVID-19 and the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The impact of the crises on the artistic work was analysed by observing the changing role of the Bird Crown in the process of becoming a goddess.

Sara Ahmed's (2017, 2021) concepts of the feminist ear and feminist listening were applied to the lyrics on two levels. The lyrics 'listened' to both the folk poetry stories of gendered experiences of violence and the author's own story, and the complaint was that these experiences were being sung out. These stories and their transgenerational silences were woven into counter-myths and counter-narratives, performed through singing richly ornamented folk song techniques.

The interaction involved in the transnational artistic collaboration, especially in terms of critically reflecting on the power relations it entails as well as trying to dismantle it, was considered to be supported by a feminist intersectional pedagogical approach. Through the analysis and consideration of power relations in relation to transnational work from the perspectives of gender, nationality, and economic inequality, it was possible to select modes of interaction that reduced the salience of differences between Finland and Bulgaria. Bulgarian choir singers were encouraged to improvise during the recording of compositions, and their opinions were consulted when making artistic decisions. These working methods, which strengthen the agency of female musicians, are not common in highly hierarchical Bulgarian choirs. Moreover, my reflection on power relations proved beneficial in identifying aspects of cultural appropriation in transnational artistic practice.

The subtle reinforcement of women's agency impacted the interaction during the artistic processes, the outcome of the recordings, as well as the music videos. Feminist intersectional pedagogy was thus envisioned as having the potential to influence the creation of more sustainable practices in transnational artistic collaboration. However, this analysis emphasised the importance of not using the existing differences to liken gender norms in music; the traditions of each country and region need to be recognised, and the development and changes need to occur within existing traditions and structures.

This study focused on transnational folk singing as a women's singing tradition. It is nonetheless recommended that the concept be updated to be more gender-sensitive, and that gender-sensitive folk song teaching and research be developed.

One of the objectives of this exposition was to examine the power relations inherent in international art projects where participants from one country have greater opportunities to fulfil themselves as artists and researchers in comparison to participants from another country. Furthermore, the disparity in opportunities for artists from different nationalities and different genders should be a particular focus of the European Union's cultural policy and its future decisions. Transnational artistic projects should be seen as meaningful initiatives that support peace, democracy, and equality. Cultural policy decisions should aim to create more equal structures and opportunities in the EU countries to develop possible new artistic transnational projects. It is also of particular importance to support transnational interaction in an increasingly polarised cultural environment within the EU. Ultimately, the question remains: who is given the opportunity to tell their story?   

Photo: Antti Kujanpää (2022). Photo taken during the filming of Nani, Högberget Cave, Kirkkonummi, Finland.

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