REARVIEW MIRROR: New Art from Central and Eastern Europe opens January 28 – April 29, 2012 at the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Coming of age during the rise of capitalism, 22 young artists challenge preconceptions of Central and Eastern Europe as a historical, social and political monolith.

This highly-anticipated exhibition features the work of 22 contemporary artists from 11 different Eastern European countries, whose work references the specific social and political histories of their respective homelands. Born mostly in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the artists comment on the political and social changes that have come to pass following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the socialist period of their parents’ generation. In doing so they dismantle stereotypical notions of Eastern Europe, and question the perception of it as being socially and culturally unified.

Instead, the artists in REARVIEW MIRROR draw upon a variety of sources, their different histories, geographies and cultures, as a means to reflect on the past but also comprehend the present. The conceptualization of political and social change is integral themes related to the works presented in the exhibition.

This exhibition is guest-curated for the AGA by internationally-acclaimed curator, Christopher Eamon and produced in partnership with The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto.

Presented by in Edmonton by Enbridge.

EXCLUSIVE MEDIA PREVIEW

Friday, January 27, 2 pm,

Art Gallery of Alberta

Itinerary: AGA REMARKS: Catherine Crowston, Acting Executive Director / Chief Curator

GUEST CURATOR:

Christopher Eamon

ARTISTS: Taras Polataiko and Gintaras Didžiapetris will be in attendance and available for interviews.