Duty and Rebellion. Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw 1944-2004 [exhibition catalog].

Warsaw 2004/ Academy of Fine Arts, Zachęta/ publisher's binding, hardback/ 24x32cm/ p.411/ numerous illustrations in the text/ very good condition-, minor scratches, rubbing of binding. Text clean.

Catalog published on the occasion of the exhibition "Obedience and rebellion". Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw 1944-2004" organized on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The exhibition was presented in the gallery "Zachęta" 17.IX. - 24.X.2004. catalog with an index of names.

, "The exhibition Should and Rebellion is a deeply thoughtful and multifaceted analysis of the activities of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw from the end of World War II to the present day in the context of the political and social history of Poland. The programmatic dichotomy marked in the title Should and Rebellion can be seen on various levels: political, ethical, aesthetic, generational and technological. The great merit of the exhibition's authors is the subtle shading of judgments in relation to art and artists, so that, for example, the period of Socialist Realism turns out not only to be a time of artistic enslavement, but also a pul sation of valuable ideas, the later politically unruly art is seen from a different perspective, and a fascinating aspect of the exhibition is the rendering of tense creative aspirations and missed opportunities in the history of Polish design and design. The tension between duty and rebellion is ever-present: in the clash of generations, in the conflict between tradition and innovation, in the difficulty of finding criteria for evaluation, and, in closer times, in the incredible technological revolution putting at the disposal of artists new media with their previously unimaginable possibilities. This situation calls for a redefinition of most concepts related to art and a bold reflection on the place of the artist in society, the freedom of art but also the responsibility of the creator. This results in the need to return to the historical beginnings of the academy as a place not at all for learning a craft but for discussing art.'' [excerpt from the introduction by the Director of Zachęta Ms. Agnieszka Morawińska].