“Ostalgia” is an exhibition that brings together the work of more than fifty artists from twenty countries across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics. Contesting the format of a conventional geographical survey, the exhibition includes work produced by Western European artists who have depicted the reality and the myth of the East.

Some of the works—both from the East and West—describe the collapse of the Communist system and offer a series of personal reportages on aspects of life under Communism and in the new post-Soviet countries. A remarkable group of Russian artists constitutes the core of the exhibition, presenting works that retrace the origins of Moscow Conceptualism, and others that point to new directions in contemporary art. Zig-zagging across distant geographies and personal histories, “Ostalgia” composes an imaginary landscape, tracing the cartography of the dreams that haunted the East, for ultimately “Ostalgia” is an exhibition about myths and their demise.

“Ostalgia”, curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Associate Director and Director of Exhibitions, will be on view at the New Museum from July 14 through September 25, 2011.

New Museum; 2011; Softcover; 8.25" x 11.5"; 120 pp; color and b&w images throughout; ISBN 9780915557967