A Loss. The Jew in Modern Polish Art Cover Image

Utrata. Żyd w polskiej sztuce współczesnej
A Loss. The Jew in Modern Polish Art

Author(s): Katarzyna Myśliwiec
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: Culture; Culture Management; Culture Education; Cultural Sector; Ethnology; Cultural Information

Summary/Abstract: The essay entitled „A Loss. The Jew in Modern Polish Art” was meant to serve as a comment upon Rafał Betlejewski’s quasi-artistic media action „Tęsknię za Tobą, Żydzie”. The analysis of this social phenomenon aimed at proving, that Poles (as a nation and as a Culture) will never be able to forget the Jew living in their minds and hearts, in their memories and everyday lives. The Jew – just like any other alien – is an indispensable component of our identity. Nevertheless, time has verified the enthusiasm for Betlejewski’s project – for becoming immersed in the media glory, he seems to have forgotten about the subtle boundary-line that separates profound symbolism and meaningless shallow and illegitimate repetition. Together with the burning of the barn in Zawada, the hopes for building a new language of public debate on multiculturalism had also gone up in smoke. However, the author hopes that this does not deprive the essay of its importance and topicality.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 11
  • Page Range: 263-270
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: Polish