Art and the Politics of Memory in Post-Dictatorships: A Cross-Regional Perspective on Eastern Europe and the Southern Cone of South America
This presentation proposes a comparative theoretical reflection on the strategies of memorialization of the recent traumatic past in South America and Eastern Europe through a look at contemporary art practices (performance, archives, and statues). The theoretical perspective combines the role of art in Transitional Justice’s focus with a cultural memory approach of the role played by artistic artifacts in processes of memorialization. The presentation discusses the cases of the dictatorships of the Southern Cone of South America (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and the ex-communist countries in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Romania) to highlight transnational strategies of artistic memorialization. The analysis zooms in on the memorialization of Operation Condor in South America and that of the communist monuments in Eastern Europe. The artworks discussed range from approaches that aestheticize the past to artivist practices that interrogate the past, question the present and propose new meanings or approaches for the future.
Caterina Predia is Associate Professor at the University of Bucharest's Department of Political Science. Her research traverses the realms of art and politics, specifically within the contexts of modern dictatorships in Eastern Europe and Latin America, highlighting Romania and Chile. Dr. Preda's exploration doesn't stop at the dictatorships; she also delves deep into the aftermath, analyzing the art of memorialization and memory. Discover the intricate interplay between art, politics, and history through her esteemed work.
Dorothy Noyes will be the moderator of this event. With Professor Angela Brintlinger (Professor, Department Chair, and CSEEES Director) and Professor Ana Del Sarto (Literatures and Cultures of Latin America) serving as respondents.
