Organized by the Center for Contemporary Arts in Warsaw, curated by Kim Levin, and presented this past summer, the exhibition entitled “Translation” was the first opportunity here in many years to view the works of mostly young artists from the United States. Twelve American artists were brought to Warsaw for two weeks to create site-specific installations. They were asked to use local materials and objects, and, through the process of “translation,” to infuse them with new meanings.

To a foreigner, today’s Poland can still seem outlandish, but it can also be intriguing. The country is in a