Statecraft needs stagecraft. The sites of landmark diplomacy

August 10, 2021 3:39 AM

The Rooms Where It Happened Theatres are physical structures. Creative works – plays, operas, concerts, dance – make their home in them for a brief moment in time. Then they disappear. The building remains, but only memories linger. The spaces in which landmark diplomatic events take place have much in common with theatres. Leaders take center stage and hold the fates of nations in their hands. Yet these public spaces brim over with energy and activity backstage – as well in the spotlights.
posted by gusottertrout (6 comments total)

(The artist just happened to be in town.)

Lovely aside in a brilliant article. Thanks for posting.
posted by chavenet at 3:47 AM on August 10, 2021

Treaty of Westphalia, you say?
posted by zamboni at 5:24 AM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

An interesting article, but it's kind of frustrating that the modern-day photographs are so small and not able to be expanded.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:10 AM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Several years ago, I got to visit the room where the stagey parts of the original Bandung Conference were held. On the stage there were wax figures of Nehru, Zhou Enlai, Nasser, and other non-aligned leaders of the day, with Sukarno of course. I was struck at how much it felt like a U.S. high school auditorium, 1920s or 30s style.
posted by gimonca at 6:16 AM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Powerful.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:01 AM on August 10, 2021

7 rooms and 1 walkway where it happened.
posted by otherchaz at 2:22 PM on August 10, 2021