the Reality of the Lowest Order

This book is the official catalogue for the exhibition A Vision of Central Europe that will be held at the concert hall in Bruges from the end of 2010 until January 23rd 2011. Luc Tuymans has selected the works of artists from East and Central Europe, dating from World War II until the present day. His fascination with Central Europe's eventful history has been translated into a highly personal exhibition. Some thirty refreshingly innovative artists from that region show work that displays a clear vision of society. Like Tuymans, they don't shy away from themes such as war, violence and trauma. The main text of the book is written by Alison Gas, curator of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), with a contribution by Takashi Murakami, one of the most important contemporary artists working today. With works by Pawel Althamer, Miroslaw Balka, Wojciech Bakowski, Hans Bellmer, Guillaume Bijl, Walerian Borowczyk, Piotr Bosacki, Pavel Buchler, Nemanja Cvijanovic, Armen Eloyan, Igor Eskinja, Katharina Fritsch, Isa Genzken, Tadeusz Kantor, Alex Katz, Martin Kippenberger, Zlatko Kopljar, Igor Kovalyov, Klara Kristalova, Zbigniew Libera, David Maljkovic, Takashi Murakami, Deimantas Narkevicius, Priit Parn, Sigmar Polke, Quay Brothers (Stephen and Timothy), Neo Rauch, Gerhard Richter, Zbigniew Rybczyn'ski, Anri Sala, Bruno Schulz, Andreas Slominski, Jan Svankmajer, Alina Szapocznikow, Paul Thek, Luc Tuymans, Meyer Vaisman, Andy Warhol, Weegee, Andrzej Wroblewski.