The presented exhibition attempts to confront the viewer with fundamental questions: Is art capable of reviving the critical spirit, which shapes social values confronting the phantasms reproduced by the dominant dogmatism? Is it possible today to create conditions (mental and institutional) for the state of mind opposing the conservatism of today’s Poland.
Marek Radke is interested not only in the vast reservoir of postmodern visual culture, but also in sensory experience and perception – áisthesis, as well as in sensory reaction to light, colors and shapes, not natural, however, but rather generated by the civilization of images. It seems that he tries to encourage us to take a closer look at them.
biala.art.pl is a show of the most recent visual explorations of the artists who represent various generations – from students to mature artists, working primarily in Lublin and Krakow and Warsaw.
The exhibition is another major manifestation of artistic environment, associated with the Biała Gallery. Last presentation of this kind took place in 2009 in Lublin and in 2011 in Bielsko-Biala.
Stańczak works with various media, particularly with painting and installation, but he also creates art objects and architectural models, and builds devices that can be set in motion. Characteristic of his art are explosions of bright colours, abandoned buildings, bunkers, mazes of underground corridors and bizarre structures with plants growing in them.
For over fourty-five years, Edward Dwurnik has consistently commented on, described and depicted the situation of Poland as it was in the times of transformation – when Poland was regarded as a satellite state of the Soviet Union – and as it is today. His artistic oeuvre is considered to be a pictorial chronicle of stories and events, lives, customs, frustrations, traumas, predilections and obsessions of Polish men and women.
It is difficult to subject Krzysztof Sołowiej’s oeuvre to simple categories. Among many desires shared by artists there is a need to find one’s own, unique and, at the same time, recognizable language. There are not too many who succeed in it, and it is the case of Sołowiej’s art which is so individual and free from being loaded with too many references. It is worth stoping and have a look at it.
