The conclusion of the Cold War in 1989 signalled the beginning of a new era in Eastern Europe; and this widespread change was felt no less strongly in the world of art. In Art and Democracy in Post-Communist Europe; Piotr Piotrowski examines the art made after 1989 in Eastern Europe in light of the profound political; social; economic and cultural transformations in the region. As well as discussing these alterations; Piotrowski describes the changing nature of artworks themselves ndash; from work moulded by the cultural imperatives of the communist state; used as a tool of political propaganda; to autonomous work protesting against and resisting the ruling powers. He describes the rich tradition of anarchistic motifs and themes of protest in Eastern European art; and the emergence of a utopian vision in more recent times. The discussion includes themes of communist memory; the critique of nationalism; issues of gender after 1989; and the representation of historic trauma in contemporary museology; going on to discuss the recent foundation of museums of contemporary art in Bucharest; Tallinn and Warsaw. The function of art in post-communist Europe is assessed; as well as its restrictions and hidden censorship mechanisms.Throughout the book the author provides close readings of numerous artists; many new to a Western audience; such as Ilya Kabakov and Krzysztof Wodiczko; and Marina Abramovicrsquo;s work responding to the atrocities of the Balkans. This cogent investigation of the artistic reorientation of the former Eastern Bloc breaks important new ground; and fills a major gap in contemporary artistic and political discourse.
#158697 in eBooks 2007-09-01 2007-09-01File Name: B008K7IHGE
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