Short description:

This book is a comprehensive study of the ecosystem of art museums and centers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Focusing on institutions founded after 1989, the book analyses a thirty-year boom in art exhibition space in these regions.

Long description:

Museums and Centers of Contemporary Art in Central Europe is a comprehensive study of the ecosystem of art museums and centers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Focusing on institutions founded after 1989, the book analyses a thirty-year boom in art exhibition space in these regions, as well as a range of socio-political influences and curatorial debates that had a significant impact upon their development.

Tracing the inspiration for the increase in art institutions and the models upon which these new spaces were based, Jagodzińska offers a unique insight into the history of museums in Central Europe. Providing analysis of a range of issues, including private and public patronage, architecture, and changing visions of national museums of art, the book situates these newly-founded institutions within their historical, political and museological contexts. Considering whether - and in what ways - they can be said to have a shared regional identity that is distinct from institutions elsewhere, this valuable contribution paints a picture of the region in its entirety from the perspective of new institutions of art.

Offering the first comprehensive study on the topic, Museums and Centers of Contemporary Art in Central Europe should be of great interest to academics, researchers and postgraduate students engaged in the study of museums, art, history and architecture.

Table of Contents:

Introduction  1. The Ecology of Art Museums Before and After the 1989 Political Transformation: An Overview  2. The Transformation of Museums in Central Europe: Conversations about Changes and Challenges  3. The Iconic Museum for Central Europe  4. Adaptive Reuse for Museums  5. Museums in Cultural Context  6. Private Museums, Art Centers and Collectors  7. Evolutions and Revolutions in Grand National Museums: Four Case Studies  8. Contemporary Art in the Provinces: Case Study of the "Znaki Czasu" (Signs of the Time) Program in Poland  9. Museums of Central Europe: A Central-European Identity?  10. Details of institutions discussed