Stories of cities, female artists, environmental impact, glass, metal, and textile design—we show you which exhibitions to see this summer, showcasing the work of Central and Eastern European artists from across the region.
Art in the Age of the Anthropocene
Is art possible and needed during an environmental crisis? This is the question at the center of the exhibition, which focuses on the relationship between art and environment in Estonia, centered around three themes: rethinking Estonian art history from an eco-critical perspective, the possibilities of contemporary art in coping with the environmental crisis, and the ‘green museum’.
Where? Kumu, Tallinn, Estonia
When? Until October 8, 2023.
The exhibition features forest and nature landscapes, as well as 20th-century animal sculptures. It explores one phase of the development and consolidation of forests as a cultural phenomenon during the late Soviet period, that is a time when it became increasingly clear that human activities and forest management were threatening the balance of natural environments.
Where? Adamson-Eric Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
When? Until August 27, 2023.
The exhibition looks at Latvian art from a feminist interpretation, giving women the voice to speak for themselves. A broad spectrum of issues related to women will be reflected in the exhibition in twelve thematic sections dealing with the themes of traditional women’s work, emotional politics, relationships, sexuality, creative freedom, ecofeminism, and mythology.
Where? Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga, Latvia
When? Until October 15, 2023.
7th Riga International Textile and Fibre Art Triennial | QUO VADIS?
Responding to the motto of the triennial, QUO VADIS? (Where Are We Going?), the authors, through their works, partake in conversations about the situation of today’s art as well as global geopolitical and social problems. The exhibition showcases the works of 79 artists from 30 countries.
Where? Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga, Latvia
When? From June 15 to September 17, 2023.
Ričardas Gavelis’ book Vilnius Poker is referred to as one of the most important texts written in Vilnius. For many this book has become a symbol of liberation from the Soviet era and a symbol of creative freedom, that deconstructed the Soviet reality, and was not afraid to have an opinion about jazz, arts, and multiculturalism. The collection of MO Museum and documentaries of various periods reveal the rebellious and silenced spirit of the period.
Where? MO Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania
When? Until January 24, 2024.
This exhibition is an introduction to fifty Vilniusites and their personal stories from different periods in the history of the city. The narratives told by each individual reveal their connection to the Lithuanian capital and their contribution to its life.
Where? National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius, Lithuania
When? Until August 27, 2023.
Warsaw 1945-1949: Rising from Rubble
Reconstruction in Warsaw after World War II was a complex process that required a huge amount of time and labor, affecting Warsaw’s architecture as well as its cityscape. The exhibition offers a new perspective on the postwar reconstruction of the Polish capital.
Where? Museum of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
When? Until September 3, 2023.
Corsets Off. Camille Claudel and Polish Women Sculptors of the 19th Century
This exhibition is dedicated to the pioneer generation of Polish female sculptors, most of whom lived and worked at the same time as the now-famous French sculptor Camille Claudel (1864-1943). The exhibition aims to bring back the memory of other forgotten female artists and to give them their rightful place in the history of art. It is also the first presentation of Camille Claudel’s works in Poland.
Where? National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw Poland
When? Until September 10, 2023.
Artists from Krakow: The Second Krakow Group
In 1957, the second Krakow Group was formed, an association of independent artists, each with a different way of thinking but all equally committed to art. The basic prerequisite for being invited to join the Group was a creative ‘neurosis’ – a feeling of intoxication with the drug that was making art. Only a few members are still alive today.
Where? MOCAK, Krakow, Poland
When? Until September 24, 2023.
BOHEMIA: History of an Idea, 1950–2000
From its origins in mid-nineteenth-century Paris, the idea of bohemia has been a powerful component of what it means to be an artist. Bohemia, a real place, has thus given its name to a cultural movement and a way of living. Its values have always centered around a commitment to art in all its forms, an embrace of total freedom, a hostility toward work and conventional ambition, and a willingness to accept poverty. This exhibition conveys new insights into the notion of bohemia in the second part of the 20th century, with the help of renowned international and Czech artists.
Where? Kunsthalle, Prague, Czechia
When? Until October 16, 2023.
Collector. Lanna’s Glass Collection
The collection of glass at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague is rightly regarded as one of the best of its kind around the world, detailing the historical development of the art of glassmaking. It owes much to its initiator, the eminent industrialist, construction entrepreneur, collector, patron of the arts, and generous benefactor Vojtěch, Baron Lanna (1836–1909), who established and built up this unique set of items from the 1880s onwards. The comprehensive collection presents the development of glassmaking art from Antiquity to the 19th century.
Where? Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague, Czechia
When? Until September 17, 2023.
The exhibition of Jiří Pelcel’s work traces the forty-year career of the Czech designer, exploring not only the development of his craft over the past decades, but also the political, social, and economic changes he has undergone.
Where? Moravská galerie, Brno, Czechia
When? Until September 3, 2023.
Werkstätte Hagenauer. Viennese Metal Art 1898–1987
For almost 90 years, Werkstätte Hagenauer products enjoyed huge popularity and were sold around the globe. Some of the workshop’s pieces even appeared in Hollywood films. Now, the MAK is offering an unprecedented in-depth look at the history and production processes of this family-run business using the company’s own collection.
Where? MAK, Vienna, Austria
When? Until September 3, 2023.
Bioinspiration. Innovation inspired by Nature
Over the course of about 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature has adapted to a wide range of different conditions, creating ingenious phenomena, structures, and processes. This exhibition illuminates how nature’s problem-solving skills can be transferred to technology.
Where? Technisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
When? Until September 3, 2023.
No Feeling Is Final. The Skopje Solidarity Collection
After the massive earthquake that hit Skopje (then Yugoslavia) in 1963, there was a huge effort to help rebuild the devastated city, as a large-scale gesture of international solidarity. The decision was made to establish a museum of contemporary art as a key cultural element of the reconstruction, and thousands of works were donated to Skopje by artists from around the world. The collection of MoCA Skopje represents both a time capsule of international art at a moment when modernism was still in its prime and a rare artistic encounter across the Cold War divide between East and West.
Where? Kunsthalle, Vienna, Austria
When? Until January 28, 2024.
The exhibition tells the story of visual art in Slovakia in the first half of the 20th century. Through selected artwork, you’ll discover how art was responding to the era’s new civilizational challenges and social transformations, how artists were reacting to the world they lived in, and how all this found its way into their works and changed the visuality and expression of visual art.
Where? Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia
When? As of June 22, 2023.
GULÁCSY. The Prince of Na’Conxypan. The Art of Lajos Gulácsy (1882–1932)
The retrospective exhibition of Lajos Gulácsy showcases some two hundred works, revealing the diversity of Gulácsy’s profound art by highlighting new contexts.
Where? Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
When? Until August 27, 2023.
Like You and Me. Young Hungarian Photography
Featuring nearly a hundred works by thirty young artists, Like You and Me is an exhibition that highlights themes and technical experiments from contemporary Hungarian photography, along with genre characteristics and various cases when the boundaries of the medium are crossed. This show seeks to present individual voices in photography, through a generation’s personal experiences of an era.
Where? Mai Manó House, Budapest, Hungary
When? Until August 19, 2023.
UNICUM 2023. 5th International Ceramics Triennial
The International Ceramics Triennial puts emphasis on popularization as well as the presentation of contemporary ceramics in the field of artistic creation. The exhibition is a connection between the international and Slovene areas, giving a fresh insight into artistic ceramics.
Where? National Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
When? Until September 30, 2023.
With twelve works of art, the exhibition experiences modern and contemporary art through the meanings and symbolism of the color blue. The exhibition intends to use color perception and experience to emphasize the uniqueness of each individual and their own perceptions.
Where? Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia
When? Until September 4, 2023.
The intellectual and conceptual roots of Katalin Ladik’s work are rooted in the multi-ethnic and feminist avant-garde of the former Yugoslavia. Through her work, she questions gender roles and female archetypes, using her body and voice as both a tool and a medium.
Where? Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany
When? Until September 10, 2023.
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