The new Contemporary Arts Center Gallery at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts is hosting the U.S. debut of Yael Bartana’s “... and Europe will be stunned,” an award-winning film trilogy that poses the question: What if Poland’s 3.3 million exiled Jews returned to their homeland?
The exhibit – which arrived at UCI directly from the Polish pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale – explores larger themes of nationalism, belonging and the concept of a homeland.
The films move from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, where leaders of a fictitious political movement seek to repatriate Jews to Poland.
Bartana has described her work as “a universal presentation of the impossibility of living together” because it touches on the creation of the state of Israel, the displacement of Palestinians and the historical persecution of Jewish people in Europe.
Juli Carson, associate professor of studio art and director of UCI’s University Art Galleries, met the Israeli-born visual artist in her Tel Aviv studio last summer and persuaded her to bring her exhibit to UCI. The university was in competition with museums and cultural centers across Los Angeles and Orange counties.
“We seek artists and work that can be discussed and written about, as we are a research institution as well as an art space,” Carson says. “We’re mindful to showcase artists who present challenging and thought-provoking pieces.”
The installation, comprising three 20-minute films shown in separate rooms, runs through March 10. The official grand opening of the Contemporary Arts Center Gallery is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, and will feature music, food, dancing and performances.
— Laura Rico, University Communications
