Dorota Nieznalska: Collection from the Institut für Deutsche Ostarbeit
Sep 2 - Oct 29 2017
ul. Toruńska 1, Gdańsk
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The <em>Institut für Deutsche Ostarbeit</em> was a German research branch at the <strong>Jagiellonian University</strong> in Kraków, established by fascists in 1940. Among their many "unique" areas of focus, one that is of particular significance—especially from the perspective of modern day—is the <em><em>Sektion</em> Rassen-und Volkstumsforschung</em>, which was concerned with creating an inventory of human physical features based on race and ethnographic research. Special attention was paid to documenting the <a href="http://lemko.org/">Lemko</a>, Polish, Roma, Ukrainian, and Jewish populations, usually by collecting measurements and portrait-style photographs. In what was later criticised as a crude example of ethnic cleansing, these were many of the same populations which were subjected to forced relocation under <em>Operation Vistula</em> in 1947. 70 years later, Nieznalska, whose family was also relocated as part of this military action, explores the subject matter through a highly personal lens. Considering the delicate subject matter and personal nature of the exhibit, her aim is not to spark controversy but rather to objectively display a collection of facts and documentation which have been transformed into artistic forms such as installations, photographs, graphics, objects, archival film footage, and sculptures—and to allow the objects to tell the story themselves.