„The Antipodes of Mind. Trauma – Transgression – Transcendence” exhibition at the Łódź Manhattan Gallery deals not merely with the problem of aberrations – which we frequently owe to our own psyche – but with their impact, if any, on the creative process.
Marta Skłodowska
IN FACT, REPORTS, MOVIE AND PHOTOGRAPHIC documentaries presented at the exhibition offer the records of performances where the artists – eye witnessed by the audience – experience moments of living in new, specific dimension. These include “Dreaming” shows by Natalia LL. taking place at the gallery, the “VooDoo Dream” performance showing pain as a salvation symbol; the actions by Marek Rogulski who approaches his own body and psyche as instruments that should be constantly improved while one should develop techniques to control them. The “Great Absent” – dealing with the issues fundamental for the exhibition topic – cover the “The Serum of Truth”, “LSD” and “Peyolt” videos where Paweł Althamer takes perception modifying drugs. As a result, he gets transferred into different reality and becomes its medium. His peregrinations have been recorded by Artur Żmijewski. The mentioned pieces were once showed at the gallery. Now, one has an opportunity to see them in Bonnefantenmuseum.
These works pertain to quite serious problems. Thus, they do not strike a dialogue with one another. The majority of them refer to the inner self. This “reversed” attitude is reflected by the figure of “Humanus I” by Konrad Kuzyszyn, pondering over the ambivalence of his own nature, with his back turned on the audience. The photographic object, hiding inside a mechanism as complex, as human inner self. Laura Pawela is the other one who turns her head back from the audience. It is easy to notice that she has been overpowered by black depression. The “Last Exit for the Lost” being a form of confession.
These introspective ideas contrast with the openness of the work by Maria Wasilewska, paradoxically presented in a separate room behind a black curtain. The thin fluorescent lines – like strings tightened in the space – form unlikely angles against the cube of the room, developing non existing dimensions. This is the world where everybody can experience the feeling of straight lines curving into depression, hallucinations, night dreams… One has to get in there alone, so as there is nobody to ask how it really is; what is an illusion and what is not in this opart work ( in this case, it is not the buildings of the 70’s that offer a sense of certainty). In a similar manner, Leszek Lewandowski – presenting a mirror well with no bottom – leads viewers inside the illusory space.
The piece by Artur Malewski borders on the illusory and the real. He talks about the spiritualistic séance from the past and describes the result of occult practices by a group of friends. Has it been real or not? This remains a speculation. One is faced with the carnal aspect through the kulls and skeletons in the painting by Natasza Eichelkraut – Galimska. Ensor related pictures based on personal experience of constant fight with the disease refer to the death dance motive, while the red color is alternately used to describe pain and to symbolize life energy indispensable to combat the former.
The installation by Marek Wagner escapes definitions since this could have easily stood as an independent exhibition. The installation showing old fashioned toys scattered all over the parquet floor reminds about the innocence of childhood and the fascination with dummy aircrafts. But there is no come back to the carefree years: the platform cart carrying the toys turned over, lost its wheels while the toy props adopt warlike connotations.
Interpreting art within the context of its roots might be tempting as an easy solution for a biography oriented approach. On the other hand, it can serve as a valuable supplement of the piece of art form “as such” and help a viewer to feel the emotions accompanying the artist while creating it. All these works put together illustrate various ways and reasons behind looking at the “other side”. These disparate states of consciousness have been combined in the poster specially made for the exhibition by Katarzyna Wrońska. She has overlapped outlines of a number of faces to achieve a “multiplied portrait” with a message that we can hardly contain in one contour what is hidden in an individual mind.
“The Antipodes of Mind”, the Łódź Manhattan Gallery, October – November 2008.
Marta Skłodowska, born in 1981. Art historian and critic, she writes texts on contemporary art.
» EXIT - new art in poland
No 1 (77) 2009
January - March
Exhibitions:
LODZKIE TOWARZYSTWO FOTOGRAFICZNE - 2010
AUSTRIA - MUSEUM HARTBERG - 2009
KRAKOW - GALERIA KRYPTA U PIJARÓW 2009
LODZ - AKADEMIA SZTUK PIEKNYCH 2009
