Two Books Reinvigorate Debate on Polish Conceptualism's Radical Legacy
The discussions surrounding radicalism in Polish art during the communist era have been reignited by two 2009 works: Luiza Nader's 'Konceptualizm w PRL' and Łukasz Ronduda's 'Polish Art of the 1970s.' Released by the Foksal Gallery Foundation/University of Warsaw Press and Polski Western/Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Nader employs global theories to explore conceptualism, while Ronduda presents ideas such as 'post-essentialism' and highlights overlooked artists. This discourse originated in the 1970s, when Poland's cultural policy permitted conceptual art as long as it steered clear of direct political engagement. Critic Wiesław Borowski's 1975 critique has been largely dismissed. Both authors seek to globalize the Polish conversation, with Ronduda offering an English version and Nader drawing parallels with Western artists.
Key facts
- Luiza Nader's 'Konceptualizm w PRL' was published in 2009 by Foksal Gallery Foundation and University of Warsaw Press.
- Łukasz Ronduda's 'Polish Art of the 1970s' was published in 2009 by Polski Western and the Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle.
- The books examine Polish conceptual art from the 1960s and 1970s, a period of complex negotiation with state cultural policy.
- Artist Piotr Uklański provided illustrations for Ronduda's publication.
- Critic Wiesław Borowski denounced certain practices as 'pseudo-avant-garde' in 1975 articles in 'Kultura'.
- Art historian Piotr Piotrowski, in his 1991 book 'Dekada', initially expressed skepticism about the avant-garde's values.
- Ronduda's research includes archival material from the Institute of National Memory (IPN) on state surveillance of artists.
- Both authors seek to insert the Polish conceptualism debate into an international art historical context.
Entities
Artists
- Luiza Nader
- Łukasz Ronduda
- Klara Kemp-Welch
- Kwiekulik
- Marek Konieczny
- Andrzej Lachowicz
- Natalia LL
- Jan Świdziński
- Zdzisław Sosnowski
- Jerzy Ludwiński
- Krzysztof Wodziczko
- Jarosław Kozłowski
- Włodzimierz Borowski
- Janusz Haka
- Piotr Uklański
- Wiesław Borowski
- Piotr Piotrowski
- Roland Barthes
- Michel Foucault
- Dick Higgins
Institutions
- Foksal Gallery Foundation
- University of Warsaw Press
- Polski Western
- Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle
- Galeria Foksal PSP
- Fine Arts Workshops (PSP)
- Galeria Mona Lisa
- Galeria Akumulatory 2
- Film Form workshop
- Akademia Ruchu
- Institute of National Memory (IPN)
- The Courtauld Institute of Art
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Warsaw
- Poland
- Jelenia Góra
- Wrocław
- Osieki
- Puławy
- Katowice
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- Poznań