Realities, References. A Certain Look at Central and Eastern European Art
Lorand Hegyi
The Passage Europe exhibition held at the Musée d’art Moderne in Saint-Etienne Métropole addressed the question of the duality of languages and visions of the world. It chose to do so by presenting, on the one hand, a range of aesthetic approaches taken by young contemporary artists from countries that have recently joined the European Union, using as their subject the present condition of their countries, in whose artistic life they participate, and on the other a selection of great historical figures who still have an influence on today’s art.
Far from being a simplification and a dangerous distortion of the art of the East, Passage Europe actually provided a penetrating exploration of the “terra incognita” that artistic endeavour in this part of the continent still appears to be. Divided into five separate themes, the exhibition brought together the works of some sixty artists and provided a fresh “global-european” viewpoint, reflecting the considerable variety in the art of the region and underlining the importance of the role of history, politics, and economics.
Tribute
Works by a selection of great artists of the past decades representing the best of the art of various regions of central and Eastern Europe.
Zdenek Sykora, Stanislav Kolibal, Milan Knizak, Simon Hantai, Roman Opalka, Ilya Kabakov, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Josef Jankovic, Dezsö Korniss, Jiri Kolar.
Carrefour
These artists divide their time between their country of origin and France and take an active part in the cultural life of their homeland.
Braco Dimitrievic, Marina Abramovic, Ari Sala, Michael Milunovic, Kalin Dan, Danica Dakic, Maja Bajevic.
Discours
Works by young artists bearing witness to the changes that have taken place in their homeland.
SubReal, Alma Suljevic, Zbigniew Libera, Milica Tomic, Rosa El-Hassan, Anur, Ivana Keser, Ilona Nemeth, Irwin, Jiri Suruvka, Uros Duric, Oleg Kulig, Dan Perjovschi, Gordana Andelic-Galic.
Nomade
Forever travelling, as the works by these artists inevitably reflect.
Nebojsa Seric-Soba, Jusuf Hadzifejzovic, Renata Poljak, Akos Birkas, Jiri Georg Dokoupil, Marjetica Potrc, Dean Jokanovic-Toumin.
Insula
Poetic, mystical, esoteric artists, lying outside their own time and its styles and fashions.
Karel Malich, Karel Bostik,Tamas Hencze, Goran Petercol, Gyorgy Jovanovics, Miroslav Balka.
