‘Imaginarium Europe’: Artistic Drafts of a Continent

Dr. Jana Graul

The research project focuses on the connection between the discourse on Europe and artistic creation and chooses a thematic approach. Artistic figurations and conceptions of Europe, i.e. material and mental images of the continent, will be examined, with the focus on the connection to artistic activity itself. The following questions form the starting point: What did Europe mean to artists against the background of changing discourse conjunctures, political and religious conditions, but also different contexts of origin, social conditions and commercial considerations? In what contexts did the continent play a role for them and how did they situate themselves within it? What images of Europe did they create, but above all: how and why did they (or others) connect their work with the continent? Also: does the continent acquire literary or journalistic relevance in relation to artistic creation, and if so, how does this speech relate to other discourses on Europe at the same time? The project focuses on the role of the continent in modern European art discourse and thus not least on the question of the contribution of art and artists to the 'Imaginarium Europe'.