Nottingham Contemporary

Monuments Should Not Be Trusted brings together over 30 leading artists and groups from the “golden years” of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - the period between the early 1960s and the mid 1980s.

Over 100 artworks and artefacts illuminate the key contradictions of this single party state – built after WWII on socialist principles, yet immersed in “utopian consumerism.” This is the first time in the UK that the art of this period, which has attracted increasing attention, has been shown in the context of the social, economic and political conditions that gave rise to it. It draws on new and innovative research on this period, and features many of its most celebrated artists.

The exhibition begins with the rise of consumerism, midway through President Josip Broz Tito’s 37 year presidency, and ends a few years after his death in 1980. As well as artists’ works in moving image, collage, photography, sculpture and painting, the exhibition encompasses music, TV clips and fascinating artefacts, such as gifts made by workers for President Tito’s birthday, and relay batons which were carried across the country and ceremonially presented to him.

Tito was the architect of the socialist federation of Yugoslavia that lasted from 1943 – 1991/2, Built on the legacy of the anti-fascist resistance movement, it brought together six nations that maintained a peaceful co-existence during this period. Tito cut ties with the Soviet Union after a dispute with Stalin in 1948. In 1951 Yugoslavia developed “self-management” within a previously state-run economy, establishing workplace democracy and profit-sharing. Along with Nehru of India, Nasser of Egypt, Nkrumah of Ghana and Sukharno of Indonesia, Tito founded the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. It grew to 120 members, mainly from the Third World.