Research

The aim of Kontakt is to focus on art production from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, taking into account current discourses on art and critical theory. The collection dedicated itself to reflection on political and historical transformation in Europe and the value attached to art before the backdrop of specific cultural, social, and economic developments in former Communist countries, where the years 1968 and 1989 played a crucial role. By safeguarding and studying artists’ archives and estates, Kontakt develops new ways that engender an understanding of the collection’s works as historical documents via which the forgotten, repressed, and/or marginalized moments of an unwritten history can be made accessible. The associated research, however, investigates not only local peculiarities but also the complex relationships and links between various trans-local and international networks of artists, ideas, and visions.

For further information and research assistance, please contact: info(at)kontakt-collection.org