0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?

The article sets out to investigate the fundamental problem for the methodology of postwar German art history, namely, the unavoidable fusion of two markedly different perspectives, i.e., those of East and West Germany, into a coherent narrative. The reconstruction of key exhibitions and controversi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Justyna Balisz-Schmelz
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: International Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art (RIHA) 2020-08-01
Series:RIHA Journal
Online Access:https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/76082
_version_ 1827615659955060736
author Justyna Balisz-Schmelz
author_facet Justyna Balisz-Schmelz
author_sort Justyna Balisz-Schmelz
collection DOAJ
description The article sets out to investigate the fundamental problem for the methodology of postwar German art history, namely, the unavoidable fusion of two markedly different perspectives, i.e., those of East and West Germany, into a coherent narrative. The reconstruction of key exhibitions and controversies sparked by East German art, in 1989 and beyond, suggests that the revision of the canon of art history may be faced with greater challenges whenever adopting the perspective of the close Other (political or ideological), rather than that of a remote Other (ethnic or cultural). The incorporation of the close Other into a uniform narrative on art history can be a moot point, most notably in those cases where the western concept of art calls for a necessary restatement, and one's identity needs to be critically redefined in the process. This is best exemplified by what happened in Germany after 1989.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T09:13:58Z
format Article
id doaj.art-8739de4bbae14f01935efca3b34f8ada
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2190-3328
language deu
last_indexed 2024-03-09T09:13:58Z
publishDate 2020-08-01
publisher International Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art (RIHA)
record_format Article
series RIHA Journal
spelling doaj.art-8739de4bbae14f01935efca3b34f8ada2023-12-02T07:32:43ZdeuInternational Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art (RIHA)RIHA Journal2190-33282020-08-0110.11588/riha.2020.0.76082662240249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?Justyna Balisz-SchmelzThe article sets out to investigate the fundamental problem for the methodology of postwar German art history, namely, the unavoidable fusion of two markedly different perspectives, i.e., those of East and West Germany, into a coherent narrative. The reconstruction of key exhibitions and controversies sparked by East German art, in 1989 and beyond, suggests that the revision of the canon of art history may be faced with greater challenges whenever adopting the perspective of the close Other (political or ideological), rather than that of a remote Other (ethnic or cultural). The incorporation of the close Other into a uniform narrative on art history can be a moot point, most notably in those cases where the western concept of art calls for a necessary restatement, and one's identity needs to be critically redefined in the process. This is best exemplified by what happened in Germany after 1989.https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/76082
spellingShingle Justyna Balisz-Schmelz
0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
RIHA Journal
title 0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
title_full 0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
title_fullStr 0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
title_full_unstemmed 0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
title_short 0249 Terrified by the Close Other. Is the Postwar History of German Art Ready to Embrace "State Functionaries"?
title_sort 0249 terrified by the close other is the postwar history of german art ready to embrace state functionaries
url https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/rihajournal/article/view/76082
work_keys_str_mv AT justynabaliszschmelz 0249terrifiedbythecloseotheristhepostwarhistoryofgermanartreadytoembracestatefunctionaries