Social Themes in Projects of Contemporary Czech Conceptual and Action Art (from the Late 1980s to the present Day)

The dissertation thesis gives a real picture of Czech artistic works from late 1980s to the present day that use the language of Conceptual and Action art for a reflection of current problems in our society. The study is to encompass socially-oriented art or tendencies that want to communicate with the inartistic context and its focus is on the social-political aspect of contemporary art. The first part of the text is focused on basic concepts, moreover, it describes the most important exhibitions, theoretical contexts or considerations associated with the concepts of political or engaged art and it includes a brief reference to examples of older socially oriented art of the 20th century. The thesis strives to give a picture of the main themes through which artists reflect on humanity within a current societal system with its various old or new phenomena. The topics and the particular relevant artworks are described in four main chapters that should reveal the working methods or the development of the artists approach or strategies of artistic groups that have simultaneously reflected changes in the Czech art scene for the past 25 years. The prime motives are classical or newborn topics like reflection on motherhood, transformation of the present-day family, attitudes to the phenomenon of age,..