[spectre] Fwd: CFP: Zeszyty Artystyczne, no. 47: Feminist Dialogue in Polish Art

[Andreas Broeckmann LEU]

From: Karolina Rosiejka
Date: Dec 13, 2024
Subject: CFP: Zeszyty Artystyczne, no. 47: Feminist Dialogue in Polish Art

Deadline: Jan 15, 2025

Resonances of Emancipation: Feminist Dialogue in Polish Art.

In the latest issue of Zeszyty Artystyczne, we aim to critically engage 
with the current state of feminist art in Poland by examining its 
historical and contemporary trajectories, while also encouraging 
contemplation on its future and potential directions for further 
development. Our approach to feminist art is intentionally inclusive, 
embracing a wide range of interpretations that align with the expansive 
definition suggested by bell hooks, who characterized such art as 
fundamentally opposing injustice and rooted in gender dynamics. We 
invite contributions from those deeply invested in issues of 
emancipation and equality, whether through academic research, artistic 
practice, or curatorial work, as well as from those who engage with 
these themes in a more incidental manner. Our goal is to gather a 
multiplicity of voices, encompassing both theoretical perspectives and 
the insights of practitioners who actively contribute to the creation 
and exhibition of feminist art.

The issue of the presence and significance of feminist theory and 
practice in the domestic discourse on art is particularly crucial, yet 
it has not received adequate scholarly attention thus far. As Magdalena 
Ujma observes, while feminist concerns are prominently addressed within 
literary studies, they remain an alternative and often contested 
approach in the field of art, eliciting hesitation among many art 
professionals. Currently, the history of Polish feminism, shaped by the 
transformative events of 1989, is a subject of active discussion. It is 
frequently noted by those in feminist studies that the decommunization 
process was instrumental in allowing feminism to enter academic 
discourse, with many arguing that the preceding communist regime in 
Poland suppressed the possibility of such discussions through its 
particular stance on social issues. Similarly, the exhibition of 
artistic practices centered on gender issues is often viewed as being 
intertwined with the emergence of the new capitalist reality in Poland. 
Increasingly, scholars are emphasizing that ideas related to women’s 
emancipation, which originated in the West during the second wave of 
feminism, did in fact penetrate beyond the Iron Curtain. This 
transmission allowed for the development of distinct gender practices 
and attitudes in the Eastern Bloc, which now demand thorough analysis 
and contextualization. In this context, the prevailing global narratives 
that positioned feminism as a primarily. Western phenomenon, only 
arriving in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s, are increasingly being 
challenged. The perception of Eastern European art as lagging or 
peripheral in its engagement with feminist theories and practices is 
being dismantled. This shift compels us to reconsider the implications 
of such narratives and to critically examine the opportunities and 
challenges that arise in rethinking the history of feminism in Poland today.

We invite reflection on the current state of feminist art and 
speculation on its future trajectories. What strategies in both practice 
and theory are most critical today? Which aspects of feminist art and 
its critical discourse require reconsideration or a comprehensive 
reevaluation? Should existing frameworks for defining feminist art be 
preserved, reinforced, expanded, or possibly redefined? Which avenues in 
feminist thought and art demand more intensive exploration? Furthermore, 
does contemporary feminist art in Poland remain closely tied to 
theoretical frameworks, or is it charting entirely independent courses? 
We also seek to explore the role of feminism in domestic curatorial 
practices—how it is employed as a framing device for exhibitions, which 
directions remain underexplored, and which may be overutilized. 
Additionally, it is important to examine the current interplay between 
speculative thinking and artistic or curatorial practices, questioning 
their purposes and whether there is a need to transcend these 
established connections. We also invite reflection on the interactions 
between domestic feminist practice and theory and their relationship to 
global narratives. Does the specific context from which individuals 
involved in feminist art in Poland write, create, and curate enable the 
conceptualization of issues of equality in alternative ways, or does it, 
conversely, function as a constraint?

Text length: 20-40 thousand characters with spaces.
Language: Polish, English.
Deadline: 15.01.2025
E-mail: zeszyty.artystyczne at uap.edu.pl

Detailed editorial guidelines available at: http://za.uap.edu.pl/?page_id=12


Reference / Quellennachweis:
CFP: Zeszyty Artystyczne, no. 47: Feminist Dialogue in Polish Art. In: 
ArtHist.net, Dec 13, 2024. <https://arthist.net/archive/43532>.