2018 is the year in which 100 years of Polish independece will be remember. But, not only Poland regained its independence in 1918, no less that nine new states were put on the map of Europe (again) that year. To celebrate this centennial, BOZAR , together with the national institutes and diplomatic services of these countries, organises 1918 European Dreams of Modernity, a series of events in 2018, dedicated to this historical year and the importance of it for Europe.

The first large-scaled event, organised as a part of the series, will take place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 February, respectively in the House of European History and BOZAR. Key public personalities from the nine participating European countries are invited to provide guided tours and participate in panel discussions, thus sharing their view and interpretation of the transformative year 1918.

We invited Grzegorz JANKOWICZ and Krzysztof ZANUSSI to participate in both events.
 

PROGRAMME
         3 February – House of European History       
The House of European History will take part in BOZAR’s programme with a series of special guided tours led by key public personalities – writers, politicians, journalists – from the nine different Central, Eastern and Southern European countries. Under the title Daydreaming Nations, those tours will provide unique personal and critical insights into the museum’s presentation of the year 1918, the aftermath of World War I and the “interwar” period.

These tours will give you the opportunity to hear various voices that will illuminate the House of European History’s transnational narrative by sharing their own interpretations of this key period of political and social transformation in Europe, and discussing its signifacance today.

The first guided tour will be by Grzegorz JANKOWICZ, from 14h15 > 15h.
Krzysztof ZANUSSI‘s tour will follow at 16h30 > 17h15.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
>>> House of European History (Belliardstraat 135, 1000 Brussels) – see map
>>> Saturday 3 February 2018 – 14h00 > 18h00
>>> free entry – you can register for a tour by sending a mail to this address

Take a look at the complete programme of the event HERE.

The tours will be held in English

         4 February – BOZAR       
Ten duos of artists and intellectuals from ten East and Central European countries present their vision of the post 1918 period in national and European history during a conference gathering a great variety of voices. Both speakers coming from the same country first discuss with a moderator for about 30 minutes, then two other speakers coming from another country come on stage and discuss with the same speaker. When three discussions are over, the audience is invited to discuss the personal accounts of Europe’s past and present with the six speakers and the moderator in a café that has been specially set up for the occasion.

The panel discussion of Grzegorz JANKOWICZ and Krzysztof ZANUSSI is scheduled at 16h30.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
>>> Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR (Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussels) – see map
>>> Sunday 4 February 2018 – 14h00 > 21h00
>>> free entry – registration via this link

Take a look at the complete programme HERE.

The discussions will be held in English

Grzegorz JANKOWICZ
Philosopher of literature, critic, editor and translator. He works with the Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the Jagiellonian University. Co-host of TV shows broadcast by TV Kultura, including “Czytelnia” and “Poezjem”. He was an editor of the critical literary series “Punkt Krytyczny” and “Studium” magazine. Jankowicz collaborates with the Korporacja Ha! Art Foundation as Deputy President and Editor of two publishing series: “Linia krytyczna” and “Proza obca”. Jury member for the SILESIUS Wrocław Poetry Award. Editor of Tygodnik Powszechny’s cultural section. He is the executive director of Conrad Festival, Copernicus Festival, and Anamneses Festival. He edit, co-edit and wrote nine books, as well as more than 200 literary essays, articles and reviews.

Krzysztof ZANUSSI
One of the most well-known international directors, an ambassador of culture and cinema all over the world. A refined intellectual, brilliant director, producer, and screenplay writer, professor at the University of Silesia in Katowice. Director of film studio Tor. His filmography has centered, since the beginning of his career, on existential themes: ethics, justice, life values, the encounter and need for integration among different countries, people, and traditions.

Zanussi has directed famous pictures such as The Structure of Crystals (1969), Spirala (1978), The Constant Factor (1980), From a Far Country (1981), The Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and Persona non Grata (2005).

1918 EUROPEAN DREAMS OF MODERNITY
In the history of Europe, 1918 is primarily associated with the end of the First world War. But in Central and Eastern Europe, 1918 also meant the fall of the European empires and the birth of nine new nation states, amongst which Poland, wishing to build modern societies.

One hundred years on, BOZAR, in collaboration with the cultural institutes of these nations, is revisiting this largely unknown page of European history. We examine 1918, not just as an important date in national calendars, bur also as a powerful symbol of the explosion of creativity and of the social, artistic and political aspirations of many people wanted to build a better future. Today, remembering 1918 means recollecting and criticall engaging with the many visions of modernity that produced, not only the most tragic twists in European history, but which simultaneously continue to inspire a better vision of Europe’s future.

More info and a complete programme of all events on the website.