Ewa Partum's Conceptual Art Model Examined in Critical Essay

A 2021 essay by Karolina Majewska-Güde analyzes the conceptual art of Polish-born artist Ewa Partum, focusing on her self-historicization and the local genealogy of her strategies. Partum's career spans distinct periods: Polish (1965–1982), West Berlin (1982–1989), and transnational/global (from 1989). The study positions her work within Central and Eastern European neo-avant-gardes, examining its relation to Polish and Western practices. It argues that Western conceptualism served merely as a reference point for Partum, not a dominant influence. Key early works like Presence/Absence and Luncheon on the Grass, created between 1965 and 1972, formed the foundation for her engagement with transnational conceptual movements disseminated through Mail Art and Fluxus networks. The essay critiques the fragmentary and contradictory processes in the local and global historicization of conceptual art. Partum's model is described as contrapuntal, resisting subordination to either Western inflections or local Polish canons and protocols. The analysis highlights the geopolitics of knowledge in cultural production, emphasizing Partum's specific position. Published on June 1, 2021, the content is available via MIT Press under a subscription-only access model.