Artists: Alterazioni video /IT/, Raffaella Crispino /IT/, Goldiechiari /IT/, Ibro Hasanović /BiH/, Kassaboys /SK/, Michal Moravčík /SK/, Tomáš Rafa /SK/,Rafani /CZ/,Kamen Stoyanov /BG/ Nikola Uzunovski /MK/, Anna Witt /AT/

During many decades art in the Eastern part of Europe developed under censorship of the state in a hostile environment. Until 1989 there hardly existed any self-reference of the art world, no institutionalized art system. Also a position of the artist was rather uncertain without any defined position. Artists could not touch upon sensitive social and political issues and served only as “decorators” of the reigning regime.

The year 1989 brought, not only into the field of political life, but also art new fresh air and shifts toward the freedom of speech and expression in all spheres of life. In 2004 Slovakia accessed the European Union and became a member of the European community that has ever since been heading towards the common European direction.

The exhibition Common Identity? is a part of the international project HEICO (Heritage, Identity and Communication in European Contemporary Art Practices) and it seeks to reflect these issues through various media and artistic strategies trying to answer whether being part of the European Union justifies claims to possess common European identity and whether there is any common European identity as nationalism in many European countries gradually grows also in connection with the unstable current economic climate and a threat of bankrupt of some European countries. Artists from Eastern and Western part of Europe will by means of their works try to answer these questions and express their own attitudes and opinions.

The project was further supported by: EACEA Culture Programme 2007 – 2013, Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic

Media partners: Artyčok.TV, Flash Art Czech & Slovak Edition