Gal Kirn Livres

A history of twentieth-century Yugoslavia and the ruptures that shaped it

Exploring the aftermath of Yugoslavia's dissolution, this book addresses the erosion of shared memories of anti-fascist victory amid rising nationalism and historical revisionism. It introduces a "partisan counter-archive," showcasing artistic works that reflect and reimagine the legacy of socialist struggles. Through diverse media, including poetry, graphics, and film, the text uncovers alternative narratives of remembrance, ultimately challenging recent attempts to erase the partisan past and reclaim revolutionary resources for contemporary discourse.

The Yugoslav black wave cinema of the sixties and the seventies is one of the grand, though hidden, chapters of cinema history. Talented young authors, working under the sign of individual expression and aesthetic experimentation, pushed and explored the limits of the constraints of a socialist state. Their efforts lead to a new path of visual expression, so outstanding by its social and political engagement, its formal invention, and its courage. This book is the result of a multi-disciplinary research attempting to cross over politics, philosophy, design, art, architecture, and some speculative thinking. Starting from archival work, interviews, seminars, screenings and a conference, 'Surfing the Black' has found its (temporary) conclusion in a publication consisting of six theoretical essays and three fanzines that open up the black wave film experience to current affairs.