The Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb invites you to the exhibition "Art Works!" created as part of the international interdisciplinary project “Art Works! European Culture of Resistance and Liberation” which connects the fields of arts-based research, political and cultural youth education, and remembrance cultures. The exhibition will be presented at the MCA Open Gallery from 8 October to 8 November 2020, then at the Museum Erlauf Erinnert in Austria and at the beginning of 2021 in Berlin.
The project is organized by the Foundation wannseeFORUM Berlin and the Austrian HASENHERZ association with partners Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art MUSEION Bolzano/Bozen, Center for Contemporary History Melk Memorial and FH University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten. It brings together groups of young people who, in collaboration with European artists, researched the resistance movements and acts of liberation from fascism during World War II. In this process of research, critique and reflection, the participants examined the historical sources and works of art and, supported by professional artists, moved on to co-create artworks that connect historical developments to the here and now. Together with artists Anderwald + Grond (AT), OKO (HR), Katja Pratschke (GER), and Alessandra Ferrini (GB/IT), the groups created artworks addressing the anti-fascist resistance and its legacy in different European countries. The final artworks therefore focus and reflect on historical and cultural roots which are key to understanding and appreciating today's Europe.
The MSU Youth Club, in cooperation with the multimedia artist OKO (Marina Mesar), researched the topic of partisan resistance in Croatia, more precisely – the role of women in it. Being active participants in the anti-fascist movement, women took on many traditionally male roles during World War II – they were represented in extremely high numbers within the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia and received numerous medals for their participation in battle. The artwork titled "Resistance: Then and Now" correlates the anti-fascist resistance during World War II with various forms of resistance of our modern times. Protests against gender inequality, racism, nationalism and similar forms of discrimination are forms of resistance that we continue to witness in the fight for peace of each individual.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II, the artworks were presented online via live stream on 9 May 2020. The stream was hosted on the websites and social networks of participating partner institutions, as well as on the official website of the project where the recording of the online stream can be viewed via link: https://culture-of-resistance.eu/Commemoration2020
Project „Art Works! European Culture of Resistance and Liberation“ is supported by the Erasmus+ programme.
The exhibition at the MCA Zagreb was supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum.
The project was made possible by the generous support of: Zukunftsfonds der Republik Österreich; National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism; Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jungend und Familie, Berlin; Kunst im öffentlichem Raum, Niederösterreich.
