2021-10-14
Sarah Chen
Design Dispatch, New York
Artist Alice Proujansky delves into her own family's history by combining personal photographs with historical artifacts. By merging the intimate and the archive, she creates complex narratives that shed light on her parents' involvement in the 1960s counterculture movement.
Artist Alice Proujansky is on a mission to reveal the hidden history of her family, which was deeply entwined with radical leftist movements in the United States. Through an intriguing blend of personal narrative and archival objects, Proujansky delves into the lives of her parents, whose activism aimed to topple the US government. This uncharted chapter in American history is slowly being unearthed through a new book.
The intersection of family and politics has long been a contentious subject. For most children, their parents' personal histories remain private, locked away from prying eyes. However, Proujansky's experience is unique. In the 1970s and 1980s, her parents' FBI files accumulated dust in their home, a tangible reminder of the tumultuous era they navigated. As she sifted through these documents, Proujansky began to understand the full extent of their involvement with radical leftist groups like Weather Underground.
Proujansky's foray into her family's past has led to the creation of an immersive and thought-provoking exhibition. Through a combination of photographs, archival materials, and personal artifacts, she brings to life the complex web of events that defined her parents' lives. By sharing their story, Proujansky sheds light on the often-overlooked history of radical activism in the United States.
