Andrzej Szczerski's 'Transformation' Redefines East-Central European Art Through National Identity Lens
In his 2018 publication, 'Transformation: Art in East-Central Europe since 1989,' Andrzej Szczerski presents a conservative perspective on art in the post-communist era, prioritizing national identity over the communist legacy. The director of the National Museum in Kraków and professor at Jagiellonian University minimizes the impact of communism, interpreting significant events like John Paul II's 1979 visit, the 1989 Baltic Chain, and Ukraine's 2013 Maidan protests as artistic acts contributing to nation-building. He references artists such as Deimantas Narkevicius and Paweł Althamer while challenging Piotr Piotrowski's leftist views. The book adopts a Polish-centric lens, categorizing East-Central Europe as former Soviet and Yugoslav territories, advocating for 'affirmative history' and critiquing global art trends, often overlooking feminist movements and postcolonial studies.
Key facts
- Andrzej Szczerski published 'Transformation: Art in East-Central Europe since 1989' in 2018 through Jagiellonian University Press
- The book argues national identity, not communist experience, defines East-Central European art post-1989
- Szczerski frames religious and political events like John Paul II's 1979 pilgrimage as participatory art
- The analysis includes artists Deimantas Narkevicius, Dan Perjovschi, Eva Kot'atkova, Paweł Althamer, and David Maljković
- Szczerski explicitly opposes Piotr Piotrowski's 2010 leftist-focused 'Art and Democracy in Post-Communist Europe'
- The book shows Polish-centrism with disproportionate Polish artist representation and Jagiellonian dynasty focus
- Szczerski defines East-Central Europe as former Soviet bloc nations, Yugoslavia, and Caucasus countries—excluding Russia
- The author is a Jagiellonian University professor and director of the National Museum in Kraków
Entities
Artists
- Andrzej Szczerski
- Deimantas Narkevicius
- Dan Perjovschi
- Eva Kot'atkova
- Paweł Althamer
- David Maljković
- David Cerny
- Petrit Halilaj
- Adrian Paci
- Ciprian Muresan
- Magdalena Moskalewicz
- Piotr Piotrowski
- Claire Bishop
- Frank Ankersmit
- Hayden White
- Oskar Halecki
- Boris Groys
- Boris Buden
- Madina Tlostanova
- Anthony D. Smith
- Ewa Domańska
- John Paul II
- Slobodan Milosević
Institutions
- Jagiellonian University Press
- Jagiellonian University
- National Museum in Kraków
- Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
- Sheldon Museum of Art
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- The Museum of Modern Art, New York
- 56th Venice Biennale
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- CAA Museum Committee
- View: Theories and Practices of Visual Culture
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Kraków
- Poland
- East-Central Europe
- Lithuania
- Ukraine
- Moldova
- Yugoslavia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Georgia
- Bohemia
- Hungary
- Baltic Sea
- Adriatic
- Black Sea
- Slovakia
- Macedonia
- Serbia
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Kiev
- Warsaw
- New York
- Chicago
- Nebraska
- Lincoln
- Venice
- Russia