The Romanian Peasant Museum’s building is placed in Victoriei Square in Bucharest, next to the Natural Science Museum “Grigore Antipa” and the Geology Museum. The construction of the building, including its design was assigned to architect N. Ghika-Budesti, leading member of the autochthonous school of architecture. According to the museographic view of the ethnographer and director Alexandru Tzigara-Samurcas, he was supposed to raise a “palace of autochthonous art” inspired by typical monastery interiors.
In 1941, after 29 years and many interruptions, the building, in its current shape is ready. Representative for the neo-Romanian style, inspired by traditional architecture, especially the brancovenesc style, the building is remarkable by its composition using mainly floral and zoomorphic decorations. The visible red bricklayer, the big windows under arches, the columns of the logia, the elegant silhouette of the main tower reminding of the bell towers in old monasteries make the building a true palace of art.
In the 60s a new wing of offices and auxiliary rooms is added in total discordance with the style conceived by Ghika-Budesti. A huge mosaic, characteristic for the quasi-proletkult period in Romanian Communism, individualizes the new wing.
MARTOR 17/2012
Call for Papers
MARTOR 17/2012
The Romanian Peasant Museum Anthropology Review
Revue d’anthropologie du Musée du Paysan Roumain
The Romanian Peasant Museum is seeking contributions for its annual review Martor. The Martor review is a peer reviewed academic journal established in 1996, with a focus on cultural and visual anthropology, ethnology and museology. Some of its earlier issues can be read here: http://martor.memoria.ro/?location=archive&action=details&id=6
The theme of Martor 17/2012 issue is Everyday life under communism. History, memory, oblivion. The setting-up of the communist regime in the countries from Central and South-Eastern Europe determined dynamic social relations and deep changes.
Displacement of people from village to town, the changing of property regime through nationalization and collectivization measures imposed new forms of habitat, of group cohabitation, and also the survival of old, traditional techniques and behavior.(D. Kideckel, 2006; T.Slama-Cazacu, 2004:110-117). The changes in the cultural area were also very serious. A new elite emerged while the old elite was adapted itself to new contexts. (A. Neculau, 2004:87-109). The survival strategies and successful accession to high positions in the system were very different for both individuals and groups.
Everyday life under communism. History, memory, oblivion aims to examine the social dynamics which occurred with the establishment of the totalitarian regime, personal and group reactions, from the rebellion and resistance to voluntary servitude, absurd and grotesque practices culminating (for Romania) with the establishment of the personality cult of Nicolae Ceausescu.
First of all, this issue should be a visitation of the recent past starting with biographies, life stories history of life, different stories, documents, memories in order to understand not only the social practices and representations, the forms of symbolic production and reproduction of hierarchies but also the various relations of power (Al.F.Platon, 2004: 25-34).
The call is addressed to specialists in different areas of social and human sciences who are interested in the everyday life under communism, the relation between memory and identity respectively between memory and history.
The articles may approach the following issues, but also other kindred subjects as well:
1. Survival and success strategies, infiltration in the system, access to resources, positions, privileges. 2. Private and public in personal experiences.
3. Status and social roles (child vs. pupil, member of the Union of Communist Youth; woman, mother, wife vs. worker (or intellectual, clerk) and party member, possibly activist: man, father, husband vs. worker…
4. Community life (in village/in town), neighbors and neighborhoods.
5. Household, house role in the establishment of family life and social affirmation, the house as a vector to assert one’s personality, relation of the former owners with the dwellers of nationalized houses.
6. Organizational system in communism: trade unions, organizations of women, pupils, students, and other other political organizations and associations.
7. Work in the socialist system.
8. Free time and the official organization of entertainment.
9. Socialist economy, informal economy generated by penury in ‘80s (for Romania)
10. Religion and ideology, family celebrations and compelling celebrations.
11. The school and the educational system.
12. The medical system, life and death in Romanian hospitals.
13. Everyday life in political propaganda; the role of the family, husband, wife and children and youngster in official documents.
14. Legislation concerning family, the medical system, the educational system.
15. Recollection strategies, representations, exhibitions, museums, events, places of memory;
16. Life course; biographies marked by the regime, lineated, ambivalent, perverse etc
We are expecting texts, in either English or French or Romanian (which we shall translate for publication) of 35.000 to 60.000 characters (with spaces) by May 1th, 2012. High quality images supporting the argument are a plus in the selection process. We encourage early submission in the form of abstracts and expressions of interest.
Please e-mail your submissions and any inquiries (e.g. editorial guidelines) to Mihai Gheorghiu (mihaigheorghiu@gmail.com), Maria Mateoniu (mariamateoniu@hotmail.com) and Simina Badica (siminarb@gmail.com).
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