Pécs Gallery M21
Basel Abbas, Ruanne Abou-Rahme, Anca Benera, Arnold Estefan, Daya Cahen, Şafak Çatalbaş, Alfredo Cramerotti, Khaled Ramadan, Cséfalvay András, Oskar Dawicki, Prager Kabarett Divus, Wojtek Doroszuk, Ember Sári, Fátyol Viola, Esterházy Marcell, Gruppo Tökmag, Barbara Guttman, Hopp Halász Károly, Horváth Tibor, Juhász R. József, Nikita Kadan, Matej Kaminský, Kassaboys, Kerezsi Nemere, Keserue Zsolt, Kis Endre, Kis Varsó, KissPál Szabolcs, Renata Koller, Kristóf Gábor, Barbara Lubich, David Maljkovic, Lucia Tkácová, Anetta Mona Chisa, Michal Moravčik, Alban Muja, Ciprian Mureşan, Nemes Csaba, Ilona Németh, Jonathan Ravasz, Kristina Norman, Omara, Palatinus Dóra, Dan Perjovschi, Martin Piaček, Karol Radziszewski, Tomáš Rafa, Ran Slavin, Martina Slováková, Société Réaliste, Gökce Suvari, Szombathy Bálint, Mark Ther, Milica Tomić, Jaroslav Varga

Private nationalism

09. May 2014. – 15. June
MegnyitóOpening: May 8, 2014, 7:00 pm
MegnyitjákRemarks by: Feischmidt Margit, Barbara Guttman, Györfi Attila, Juhász R. József, Szombathy Bálint, Prager Kabarett Divus
KurátorokCurators: Varga Rita, Pacsika Márton
The Private Nationalism project reflects on the rise of nationalism in the post-socialist countries in the last twenty years. It approaches the topic of nationalism from below, conceiving the phenomenon not as something beyond private life, imposed on citizens by outside forces, but very much exists and prospers at the micro level as well.

Art and culture are very much part of the nation building process as well as being the disciplines that are able to detect hidden elements, to decode messages and to subvert the hypnotic mechanism of how nationalism gets involved with our daily lives. The process of inscription, the daily routine of “privatization” of nationalism, and how artists observe and comment on it is in the center of the project.

PNP is a collaborative project that focuses on the issue of “private nationalism” from Central European perspective – that greatly differs from the Western European type, and even shows wide national diversity – as it is seen from the viewpoint of socially conscious and reflective artists with critical attitudes.

Artworks are capable of interrupting the hypnosis and mass delusion by subverting the imagined naturalness of national identity, and by uncovering the process of the construction of the “other”, which plays a crucial role in building the image of a homogenous nation.

However, apart from casting light on conflicts and problems, the other side of the coin will be shown as well: the historical tradition of transnational overarching of the borders, as well as the existence of fruitful and mutual influences in shared and neighboring territories. Cooperation of artists with different nationalities will also come into play, providing arguments and visions to promote peaceful co-existence.

The project will be run by an international curatorial team with 12 members and will comprise around 50 artists from 15 countries. Exhibitions will be held in five countries in eight institutions (Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia,Turkey and Poland).

Project Leader: Approach Art Association, Pécs, Hungary. Co-organiser partners: Divus, Prague (CZ), Kassák Institute, Nove Zamky (SK), Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, Pécs (H), OSTRALE, Dresden (D) Space, Bratislava (SK), ApartmanProjekt, Istanbul (TR)