Emerge newly born from the ashes

Question

1. Does "after the offer to represent Yugoslavia was controversially rescinded" mean "after the offer of Yugoslavia to Abramovic to represent her artwork in the Yugoslavian pavilion was cancelled"?

2. Does "in an attempt to emerge newly born from the ashes or bones" mean "in an attempt to represent herself as rising from ashes"?

Sentence:
In pieces such as Balkan Baroque, 1997, exhibited at the Venice Biennale in the Italian pavilion after the offer to represent Yugoslavia was controversially rescinded, Abramovic re-enacted elements of her autobiography in an attempt to emerge newly born from the ashes or bones.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

catttt1. Does "after the offer to represent Yugoslavia was controversially rescinded" mean "after the offer of Yugoslavia to Abramovic to represent her artwork in the Yugoslavian pavilion was cancelled"?

Almost. She would have represented Yugoslavia. It does not mean that she would have represented her work because that doesn't mean anything. I had to do some research here because the writer is not perfectly clear. It might have been she who rescinded her offer. That is not a very likely interpretation, but I wanted to be sure. "Clear only if known" error on the part of the writer. It would have better if she had written "Yugoslavia's offer to represent the country".

catttt2. Does "in an attempt to emerge newly born from the ashes or bones" mean "in an attempt to represent herself as rising from ashes"?

Something like that. I assume you are aware of the myth of the phoenix, the immortal bird that dies in flame and is reborn from its own ashes. To rise from the ashes is a common reference to that. The pile of bones in her installation takes the place of ashes, but I must say that I don't see the connection.

Emerge newly born from the ashes

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