CALL FOR PAPERS Vilnius Academy of Arts Lithuania, May 56, 2022 CFP deadline: June 20, 2021 Art beyond the Politics: Africa and the ‘Other’ Europe during the Cold War An international conference exploring transcontinental cultural relations, representations, and imaginations that occurred and developed between the countries of Africa and Eastern and Central Europe during the Cold War era. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe inary cultural links between Central-Eastern (CEE) engaged substantively with many newly Europe and the African continent during the independent African states for economic, po- Cold War era. It proposes a reconsideration of litical, ideological and cultural purposes dur- whether and to what extent artistic exchang- ing the Cold War. They were well regarded by es between these non-Western contexts African countries because of their non-impe- might escape historically developed power rial history and therefore alternative partner- relations between Europe and Africa and its ship approach. CEE countries provided sup- role in postcolonial and decolonial debates. port to liberation struggles, as well as o ered Since neither Africa nor Central and East- large amounts of technical assistance and ern Europe are homogenous, and consist of loans to partners in Africa. They developed countries with di erent historical and cultural new forms of global knowledge and institu- backgrounds and contemporary realities, we tions to support a wide-ranging program of especially invite the discussion of possible socialist ‘export’: theatre and lm, economic theoretical frameworks and research method- and scienti c expertise, humanitarian aid and ologies that overcome the objecti cation of political ideals - all were essential to the grand Africa and/or Central Eastern Europe. e ort to extend ‘socialist modernity’ globally. We seek to gather scholars, curators and This also in return reshaped Central-Eastern artists working in the elds of art history, cul- Europe, as African students, workers and ex- tural studies, art, architecture, design, fashion, iles imported African cultures into the region, cinema and theatre, musicology, literary stud- alongside popular media, art, and political ies and other disciplines to explore the forma- solidarity movements. tion of cultural relations between the regions The links between Central-Eastern Europe or particular states. and Africa suggest the importance of exam- ining this still unconventional perspective on Potential topics include but are not Roman Sirotzky, Black and Arab, mid-20th century, Lithuanian National Art Museum the con guration of the Cold War, which is limited to: traditionally viewed as centering around su- 1. The discourse of colonisation/ perpower rivalries. In contrast to the Western decolonisation/postcolonisation in art, Conference academic committee: vision of one homogenous ‘Soviet bloc‘, the art history and cultural history: African Dr. Karina Simonson, Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, Vilnius University (Chair) view from the Global South reveals evolving and CEE perspectives. Inga Lāce, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art/C-MAP Central and Eastern Europe Fellow at MoMA motivations and sometimes contradictory 2. Transcontinental cultural relations, Dr. George Tebogo Mahashe, University of Cape Town aims of artistic mobilities from socialist coun- migration of artists, artworks, artefacts Dr. Laura Petrauskaitė, Art Research Institute, Vilnius Academy of Arts tries, whether East Germany, the Soviet Union and ideas. Dr. Bart Pushaw, University of Copenhagen (including the Baltic States), Poland, Hungary, 3. The images, dreams, and delusions of Dr. Aušra Trakšelytė, Art Research Institute, Vilnius Academy of Arts Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria, among others. CEE in African countries. Dr. Tomas Vaiseta, Faculty of History, Vilnius University The cultural geography of the Cold War 4. The representation and reception of was inevitably shaped by a network of links Africa in CEE countries. Accepted papers will be considered for publication in peer-reviewed academic journal Acta Academiae between the Soviet and the US spheres un- 5. Soviet Union/US struggle for in uence Artium Vilnensis (2023 issue). der the new era of decolonization. A new in Africa: re ections, connections, expanding language of socialist ‘fraternity‘ parallels and contrasts in art, design and across continents facilitated this exchange architecture. of cultures. Africa occupied the imagination 6. Members of the Black diaspora as of some CEE artists and writers as a way to ambassadors of modernisation in CEE. escape one’s poor socialist reality and enter 7. The process of ‘othering’ and cultural a new, open, and intriguing world. For many appropriations of African/CEE cultures. CEE citizens, Africa encapsulated the world 8. Issues of whiteness and race in CEE. PLEASE SEND TO DR. KARINA SIMONSON ([email protected]) outside the Soviet bloc, di ering from it in 9. Curating African art collections in CEE A 300-WORD ABSTRACT OF YOUR PROPOSED PAPER AND A SHORT almost every respect. Many saw it both as a museums. BIO BY JUNE 20TH, 2021. chance for self-realisation, and as prospects 10. Artworks of CEE artists, designers and for some tangible nancial gains. architects in Africa: heritage, research, The selected participants will be noti ed by June 30th, 2021. This conference aims to ll the lacuna of curatorship. Conference fee: 50 EUR. knowledge about both the actual and imag-.