After-Easter Show 1986

Editor: Here we have Miroslaw Balka's "After-Easter Show" from the Tate collection. The muted colors and slightly unsettling imagery give it a somber feel. What do you see in this piece, considering its title? Curator: The title is crucial. Balka, born in Poland post-WWII, often explores themes of memory, loss, and the body within a specific socio-political context. The bunny, a symbol of renewal, is juxtaposed with a sense of emptiness, those glass domes, perhaps representing fragility or lost hopes in the aftermath. How does this contrast resonate with you? Editor: It feels like a critique of hollow celebrations, maybe a comment on the unfulfilled promises of political or social change? Curator: Precisely. Balka uses personal and collective trauma to question dominant narratives. Understanding his background helps us see this beyond just a sculpture of a rabbit. It's a potent symbol of resilience and disillusionment. Editor: I never would have considered those historical factors, it’s fascinating how they shift the meaning.