Rafani 2: A New Tradition

Neotrad, Mama showroom for media and moving art, Rotterdam, 14.2 – 4.4. 2004

Mama in Rotterdam consistently produces contemporary shows that display vision while not alienating visitors. The latest exhibition Neotrad attempted to show how “interest in decorative crafts and techniques and the search for regional cultural heritage” permeate the thinking of contemporary artists. The assembled group was non-homogenous: some horrible drawing of visitors to a rock festival by US artist Mike Paré, charming but conservative variations on historic Japanese drawing and art deco by Megumi Nakano, but great quasi-Mexican paintings and pottery by Pepin van den Niewendijk could also be found. The Czech group Rafani contributed their older series The Czech Forest, whose visual scheme is designed around a thematic shift in folk silhouette cut-outs. The anti-German inscriptions and depicted violence sharply criticizes the Czech nationalistic atmosphere after the Second World War, though at first sight the opposite appears to be true. The four invited participants to Neotrad chose a more formal view of their chosen field, though Mike Paré never found place for himself. But the fact that prestigious Mama paid attention to Rafani demonstrates that the Sudeten project, using folklore, is capable of drawing attention to a general historical experience.

01.01.2004