With a symposium entitled “Art and War,” the International Association of Art (IAA) Europe explored how artists respond to the challenges of war, discussing its impact on art institutions and the creative process.
The event on 17 October 2024, in Vilnius, was organized by IAA Europe in cooperation with the Lithuanian Association of Art Creators and the Lithuanian Artists’ Association. The General Assembly of the IAA Europe took place on site the day before.
The director of the Lithuanian National Gallery of Art, Dr. Arūnas Gelūnas, co-hosted the conference and reported on the work of Lithuanian cultural institutions since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Against the background of their own history, this war is perceived as particularly threatening by the Baltic states. The audience emphasized that transnational solidarity can be an important counter-movement to (newly emerging) nationalisms, especially today.
Prof. Dr. Gintautas Mažeikis highlighted how artists use “anti-war poetry” and performative actions to counter the legitimization of wars, especially when it comes to the instrumentalization of religion for these purposes.
The artist Mindaugas Lukošaitis gave an impressive presentation of his work against the backdrop of personal experiences of war: How do gray areas of one’s own assessment transform into black and white schemes in the face of violence and destruction? How does propaganda work? At the same time: the aesthetic confrontation with war and death. Art as a form of contemplation.
Teemu Mäki, President of the IAA Europe, then presented eight theses on art in times of war for discussion: “Art in wartime: Who needs it and for what?”. Thoughts on visual art in the context of poetics and the practice of activist art were discussed in the following exchange.
The documentary film by artist Tetiana Chornaueogte showed an excerpt of the current living and working situation of visual artists in Ukraine.
The final presentation by Anjalika Sajar, on behalf of the Otolith Group from the UK, drew attention to wars in other regions of the world. The painful loss of cultural identities through war, but also other long-lasting mechanisms of oppression and physical violence were the subject of discussion.
At the General Assembly of the IAA Europe the day before, the Executive Committee presented its current priorities. These include the improvement of economic and social working conditions for visual artists, promoted by the exchange of information within the IAA Europe and joint action at European level. The aim also remains to strengthen artistic freedom in Europe and in transcontinental exchange. Here too, intra-European networking offers opportunities for support and the joint development of positions.
Further information can be found on the IAA Europe website.