In recent years many creators have been interested in the historical processes that occurred in the second half of the twentieth century or in the consequences they continue to have today, sometimes due to the contradictions that were generated at that time or conflicts that remain unresolved. In these works, contemporaneity is addressed from a critical re-reading or through memory exercises that establish connections with the past in order to understand it or rescue it, as well as to influence the present. Some examples are projects that deal with the global situation from a post-colonial or horizontal re-reading that has dismantled the supposed centre/periphery division, projects that make the continuities between the Francoist period and the present visible, projects that reflect on östalgie, the nostalgia for the disappearance of block politics and its retro-modern imaginaries.In some of these projects the logic of facts and the logic of fiction are confused, temporalities overlap or modern myths are resignified.

This seminar aims to reflect on the various ways, themes and forms through which contemporary artists are representing the recent past and its effects. It will feature interventions by Jonathan Harris (Birmingham School of Arts), Miriam Basilio (New York University), David Moriente (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) and conversations with various artists such as Antoni Muntadas, Lola Lasurt and Ignasi Prat.

Download the poster.