Polish Contemporary Art Explores Memory and Identity in Modena Exhibition

The Galleria Civica di Modena hosted 'La memoria finalmente. Arte in Polonia: 1989-2016', a major survey of Polish contemporary art curated by Marinella Paderni. The exhibition, which ran until June 5, 2016, featured fifteen artists including Paweł Ałthamer, Wilhelm Sasnal, Agnieszka Polska, and Jakub Woynarowski. The project originated from a 2013 study trip to Poland organized by the Polish Institute in Rome. Paderni selected artists for their unique approaches to memory, ranging from direct historical references to explorations of the imaginary. The show bridged generations, connecting artists who investigated memory after Poland's 1989 independence with younger artists born in the 1980s. Philosopher Andrzej Leder contributed a critical text to the catalogue, discussing the concept of 'non-memory' in Polish art. The exhibition highlighted how Polish artists grapple with collective amnesia regarding World War II and the communist era, using works like Mirosław Bałka's 'Die Rampe' (1994) to address the Holocaust and its aftermath. The show was originally planned under former director Marco Pierini, who resigned in 2014 over a dispute with the city council. The catalogue was published by Silvana Editoriale.