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‘Introduction’ in Tales within historical spaces: Beata Batorowicz
Non-fiction

‘Introduction’ in Tales within historical spaces: Beata Batorowicz

Vanessa Van Ooyen and Megan L Williams
Tales Within Historical Spaces: Beata Batorowicz
Queensland University of Technology
2012
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Research Statement (supplemental) Open Access

Abstract

Visual Arts and Crafts women artists Polish artists Batorowicz, Beata
Published by QUT Art Museum on the occasion of the exhibition "Tales within historical spaces: Beata Batorowicz", 1 September - 28 October 2012. Research Background The introduction frames the ongoing conceptual and theoretical concerns of Polish born Australian artist, Beata Batorowicz, to contextualise a body of work that explores a history of WWII. The introduction argues that by drawing upon the iconography of European mythology, folklore and fairytales and interweaving them with oral histories from her family, and fictional narratives by the artist, Bartorowicz presents a new way of engaging with collective cultural memory. Research Contribution This introduction contributes to understandings of how artists critically engage with history to make work that gives voice to the individual. It is innovative in its analysis of Batorowicz work, unpacking the devices that she uses to blend fact and fiction and question the truth of history. The introduction also address how the artist combines these devices to create distance from the horror of the subject matter which encourages an empathic response to the work and its content. Research Significance This introduction was included in a 90-page bi-lingual (English/Polish) publication that supported an exhibition of the same title presented at QUT Art Museum, Queensland and travelled to the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design, Wroclaw, Poland. The publication also included a major essay by Polish academic Agnieszka Klos, oral histories from the artist’s grandmother and mother, fictional narratives written by the artist and an interview with the artist. The publication received funding from Arts Queensland and was distributed throughout Australia and Poland.

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