Research project funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Croatian Ministry for Science, Education, and Sports (MZOS), 2014-2015
The research project focuses on German-Croatian artists’ relations in the 20th century, which – although an important aspect of the artistic exchange between artists in the various European art centers – have, so far, found only little recognition and were rarely examined by scholars. Particular emphasis is on the collaboration and the cooperation of artists in the informal networks of the avant-garde of the 1920s and the neo-avant-garde of the 1950s and 1960s and their significance for modern and contemporary artistic practices.
In the center of the research project stand the examination of the role that German and Croatian avant-garde and neo-avant-garde artists played in local, regional, national, and international European art centers during the period 1920 to 1980 and the aspects of their collaboration practices as well as the concrete network structures and the practical forms of their artistic exchange.
The concrete objectives of the research project are:
- reconstruction and deconstruction as well as critical examination and evaluation of the artistic exchange between German avant-garde and neo-avant-garde artists and artist groups (Dada, Constructivism, Fluxus, Informel, Concept Art) and their Croatian colleagues
- Mapping of the most important avenues of cultural transfer between Germany and Croatia during the period 1918 to 1939 and 1950 to 1980
- Analysis of the network structures and exchange strategies, in particular
- joint exhibitions and publications
- collaboration in journals
- joint events such as soirees, matinees, readings, cabaret, theatre, and musical performances
- the innovative use of the new media (collage, assemblage, abstract film, etc.)
- political actions and social provocations
- other cooperation projects
- the role of transnational artist groups and artist couples
The larger goal of the project is to establish research collaborations with other colleagues and research institutions in Europe in order to jointly work on a comprehensive study of the role of artists’ networks in the 20th century and its importance for European art, society, and politics.
Participants:
- Ljiljana Kolešnik, PhD, Institute of Art History, Zagreb
- Petar Prelog, PhD, Institute of Art History, Zagreb
- Lovorka Magaš Bilandžić, PhD, University of Zagreb
- Marta Kiš, PhD candidate, University of Zagreb
- Ivana Mestrov, PhD candidate, University of Zagreb
- Prof. Dr. Isabel Wünsche, Jacobs University, Bremen
- Dr. Ana Ofak, Postdoctoral fellow, Jacobs University, Bremen
- Shija Zhang, 3rd-year BA student, Jacobs University, Bremen
- Oleksandra Boychenko, 3rd-year BA student, Jacobs University, Bremen