Germany
Berlin
2018
56
German, English
English, German
In a nutshell
The exhibition Notes from the Underground. Art and Alternative Music in Eastern Europe 1968–1994 examines the intersection of underground music and visual arts under communist regimes in Eastern Europe. It highlights how rock, punk, and new wave music, alongside performance art, fashion, and film, became tools of countercultural expression against state control. In response to censorship and scarcity, artists and musicians created homemade instruments, produced Samizdat magazines, and distributed recordings. The exhibition underscores the role of improvisation and irony in resisting authoritarianism, with works from Poland, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia, offering a new perspective on how art and music intertwined as forms of dissent.
Why should you watch this?
In a time where freedom of expression remains a contested issue, Notes from the Underground. Art and Alternative Music in Eastern Europe 1968–1994 draws vital parallels between past and present struggles against authoritarianism. By showcasing how rock, punk, and new wave music intertwined with visual arts to resist state control, the exhibition highlights the subversive power of creativity. From DIY instruments to Samizdat magazines, it captures the spirit of rebellion and improvisation that thrived under repressive regimes, making it a timely exploration of art’s role in confronting oppression and fueling collective resistance.
Curator(s)
David Crowley
Bio
David Crowley is the Head of the School of Visual Culture and Research at NCAD. Previously, he was a professor at the Royal College of Art, where he led the Critical Writing in Art & Design program. With a background in design history from the University of Brighton and the Royal College of Art, Crowley is a prominent writer, critic, and curator focused on visual culture and graphic design. His exhibitions include Cold War Modern at the V&A and Sounding the Body Electric: Experiments in Art and Music in Eastern Europe 1957–1984 at the Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź.
Angela Lammert
Bio
Angela Lammert is the head of interdisciplinary special projects in the Department of Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts in Berlin and an adjunct professor at the Institute for Art and Image History at Humboldt University in Berlin. She has realized numerous exhibitions and publications on art from the 19th to the 21st century. Her research focuses on the history and theory of modern art, particularly in Germany, France, the USA, and Brazil, as well as the history and theory of photography and sculpture. Lammert operates at the intersection of art and science, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue.
