Contemporary Ukrainian and Baltic Art by Biedarieva, Svitlana;

Long description:

This volume focuses on political and social expressions in contemporary art of Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. It explores the transformations that art in Ukraine and the Baltic states has undergone since their independence in 1991, discussing how the conflicts and challenges of the last three decades have impacted the reconsideration of identity and fostered resistance of culture against economic and political crises. It analyzes connections between the past and the present as seen by the artists in these countries and looks at their visions of the future.

Contemporary Ukrainian art portrays various perspectives, addressing issues from controversial historical topics to the present military conflict in the East of the country. Baltic art speaks out against the erasure of past historical traumas and analyzes the pertinence of its cultural scene to the European community. The contributions in this collection open a discussion of whether there is a single paradigm that describes the contemporary processes of art production in Ukraine and the Baltic countries.

With contributions by Ieva Astahovska, Svitlana Biedarieva, Kateryna Botanova, Olena Martynyuk, Vytautas Michelkevičius, Lina Michelkevičė, Margaret Tali, and Jessica Zychowicz.

“This is a timely volume that explores the newest artistic trends in the Baltic countries and Ukraine. From memories of WW2 through visions of the apocalypse in the 1990s to the documentary turn in contemporary art, these essays chart the impact of social transformations and political conflicts on a young generation of creative talents. The book offers an impressive range of critical approaches and provides an indispensable guide to an emerging and ambitious art scene.”—Myroslav Shkandrij, Professor Emeritus of Slavic Studies, University of Manitoba