In this first issue, entitled Symbols and clichés, we give a critical airing to notions connected with national ideologies and political myths and their functions, and look also at their various reflections in art, architecture and the landscape. The material and non-material heritage of national ideology built up over the past two centuries continues to influence the collective imagination of our societies today. What is the nature of this symbolism in our times? Is it a burden of our age, a colourful tourist product or a shared heritage? In these days, does my hero have to be your enemy? The theme we have chosen for this issue is by no means exhausted in its content. We hope you find that these discussions, opinions, reflections on new and recent exhibitions and books, and examples of successful cultural projects and modern institutions operating in the broadly defined field of heritage combine to produce an interesting panorama of culture from our region of Europe.
Content
Editorial
Csaba G. Kiss – How we see each other. Images and prejudices of nations in Central Europe
Anda Rottenberg – The mythological foundations of history
Ewa Mazierska – Painting, cinema, and the Teutonic knights
Mathieu Olivier – Battlefields as places of memory in the history of Europe. A sketch
Let’s see! – a survey – Nelly Bekus, Marta Herucová, Katarzyna Jagodzińska, Erzsébet Marton, Mykola Riabchuk, Rasa Rimickaitė, Thomas Schulz, Petr Tomášek
The art that wasn’t here. Prof. Ewa Chojecka talks to Łukasz Galusek
Joanna Sanetra‑Szeliga – Say Linz. Say change
Sandro Droschl – Linz 2009. Subjectively
Magdalena Link‑Lenczowska – Death redecorated
Łukasz Galusek – A multimedia acropolis
Helena Postawka – We laugh for we believe that the world can be changed
Maria Poprzęcka – So close, so little known
Krisztina Szipőcs – Over the counter