The Institute of Art History at the University of Wrocław announces a conference exploring the rich yet understudied artistic exchanges between Mexican and Eastern European artists during the Cold War period. The conference takes particular inspiration from the pioneering scholarship of Piotr Piotrowski, who highlighted Mexican art’s unique “global character” in relation to socialist realism and its reception in Eastern Europe.

Building on the pioneering scholarship of Piotr Piotrowski, this conference seeks to investigate these intercultural connections. Piotrowski argued that, unlike socialist realism, which was promoted by communist regimes but not universally embraced, Mexican art possessed a “global character” due to its origins on a “distant continent.” Nevertheless, he also noted the challenges of situating Mexican art within the rigid frameworks of socialist realism. This conference will further examine and discuss Piotrowski’s insights on the global dimension of Mexican art.

The organisers look forward to submissions that illuminate these vital artistic dialogues and deepen our understanding of Mexican art’s impact during the Iron Curtain era. Proposals should include a title and an abstract of up to 300 words. Please also include full contact information (name, mailing address, and email) and a short CV (maximum 200 words). Submit paper proposals by January 31, 2025, to karolina.zychowicz@uwr.edu.pl

The conference takes place on May 22-23, 2025 at the Institute of Art History, University of Wrocław, Poland.

More information: https://lasaweb.org/uploads/mexican-art-goes-global-cfp.pdf