In her recently opened exhibition "Refleksije vremena 1945.-1955.", curator Jasmine Bavoljak uses more than 300 art works, everyday objects, films, photos and documents to create an image of post WW-II Yugoslavia. The exhibition covers a wide range of themes through various media: the division of Istria between Italy and Yugoslavia; distancing from the USSR and establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement; the cult of Tito; labor collectives; industrialization; Young Partisans; education; social movements.
While I appreciate the exhibition's monumentality, I also miss expressions from those who had actually lived through this period. Among all the films, posters, sculptures and paintings lie few tales of what this period actually meant for people. No oral histories, diary entries or letters written to relatives abroad. In this way, it is essentially a "top down" view of history rather than one focusing on personal experiences.
Refleksije vremena 1945.-1955. will be shown at museum-gallery Sacred Hearts in Pula, Croatia until May 5th, 2013.
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