Eastern and Central European Art, 1917 to the Present

Catalog description

This is a survey course examining the prolific and significant artistic production of the region in four parts: the rise and fall of the Avant-Garde (1917-1934), the development of Socialist Realism (1934-1953), the embrace of post-war Nonconformism (1953-1989); and the proliferation of contemporary art (1989 - 2023). The course will include Russian artists, where applicable; however, it will intentionally recenter the narrative around artists from the satellite states (Poland, Hungary, Romania) and republics of the Soviet Union (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Ukraine). In light of the war in Ukraine, additional emphasis on Ukrainian art will be provided. Subtopics will include architecture and graphic design; monuments and memory; colonialism and postcolonialism; feminism and LGBTQAI+; the environment; protest. All readings and lectures will be in English