Tomasz CICHOWSKI photographs
Tomasz Cichowski When the title multimedia artist sits comfortably with the Polish artist Cichowski it has not just something to do with him having graduated in multimedia art. No more importantly, it reflect the fact that the artist is equally comfortable creating art in multiple media. Through the years he has applied himself to abstract painting and drawings, art objects and installations, fine art photography and video art. To him it all makes sense as mark making. For such an individual, who insists on carrying on with this multi-faceted approach to art, it is a celebration of creativity. As such, it is not sensationally rare amongst artists. But for reaching fame and acclaim, the habit is a little uphill in comparison to being a one-trick pony. Paradoxically, art critics and collectors find your unique style much more marketable when it is more predictable — or dare we say repetitive? In his case, and for us, it is ultimately a good thing that he doesn’t follow conventional art market wisdom. Lately, photography and painting have occupied him the most. Whatever he does, there is never a dull moment. Nor is there any fear of experimenting. It means, for instance, that there is much beauty to be captured along the artistic path. Occasionally, the opportunity arises to lampoon our consumerism with a hilarious prank or two, and other moments again call for a more sombre note. The artist was born in 1971 and graduated from Multimedia Communications at Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan. Like so many European artists he has a string of successful exhibitions behind him in his own country and abroad. So far so good. But again he defies the stereotypical fine artist because he alternates in choice of medium. Like Gerhard Richter he also gets away with going from the very literal concept to the more abstract and back again. Interestingly, it leaves the oeuvre as something that has little other than the artist’s intellect in common. In one exhibition the contribution centred on video art, another on performance art, a third on a series of photographs and a fourth on abstract paintings. Notably, HURT_ART was an installation project and as a concept it homed in on the hollow gratification of consumerism like a heat-seeking missile. As the artist states: Every day is dominated by consumption. Families consume their time in supermarkets chasing promotions and sales wondering where the time has gone. The chance to purchase something at a bargain price becomes their life bargain. PET, yet another theme, addressed human existence in our age. It entered a dialogue with us about our own perfectly imperfect bodies, and our ability to edit our artificial egos in hyperspace. In Cichowski’s installation the two were edited and mass produced as prints on boxes. The artist then chose to stack these in a pile on a transport pallet in the middle of an exhibition space. You can find more information about the artist by visiting his website. Xamou Art : http://www.xamou-art.co.uk/tomasz-cichowski-artist/
Selected exhibitions /2004-2014/: • Post – Competition exhibition of Painting them. Leon Wyczółkowski , BWA Gallery , Bydgoszcz 2014 • The Mine of Images; part VII, Gallery of the Faculty of Media, acting and directing, Zabrze, 2013 • Objectively / Subjectively – photographic presentation of the project “Still Life” ZPAF, Katowice, 2012 • Painting – Solo exhibition, Tarnogorskie Centrum Kultury, 2012 • EPAF – European Performance Art Festival, CCA, Warsaw, 2007 • Universe of the body – the exhibition project “Mine Images”, ZPAF, Katowice, 2007 • “Hurt.Art.” -/Life Chance/, action art, TCK, Tarnowskie Gory, 2006/2007 • “Shoulder to Shoulder” action art – collectives meeting of Polish and Swiss / Ikoon, Labor P, cStudio /, European Hotel • CAMERA OBSCURA – “Tales of the box”, the exhibition project “Mine Images”, ZPAF, Katowice, 2006 • “Silesia active part.2, BWA, Katowice, 2006 • New roads – Neue Wege, polnische videokunst, K4 Forum, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2006, • With love from young polish artist, “Supermarket for art”, Gallery UND, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2006, • “November’s Night”, Mokotow Blockhouse, Warsaw, 2005 • Free Form Festival, “Cane Factory” Artistic Centre, Warsaw, 2005; • „Wroclaw NonStop” Festival, BWA Studio, Zero Project Gallery Exhibition , Wroclaw 2005 • The 4th Biennale of Photography „Object Hunting”, Arsenal Gallery, Poznan, 2005, • „Ikoon”- Multimedia Body“ Group Exhibition – „art in the room” – Zero Project Gallery, Berlin, 2005, • “Polen.Edu“ – Polish Art and Culture in Sweden, IKOON Exhibition at The University of Stockholm, 2005, • The 4th International Festival of Photography, Lodz, 2005, • „Retransmission”, vol.1 Videoart Festival, 2004-2005, Gdansk, Warsaw, Lodz, Zabrze, www.retransmisja.art.pl • The Second Jazz Music Meetengs, Wisniowy Sad Gallery, Tarnowskie Gory, 2004, • An Individual Exhibition of photography and video „NEW_MEN”, Tarnowskie Góry 2004 • Award on 5th Fine Art Festival, Bytom 2004,
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Title: Home Altars Size: 22 x 32 cm Technique: pinhole photography, prints: hand-applied photographic (light-sensitive) emulsion on handmade paper Edition: 1 (unique print) No. of works: 10 Year: 2004
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Title: Self Portrait I Size: 50.5 x 39 cm, 38,5 x 50 cm /Set of 2 prints/ Technique: Pinhole photography, Gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 5+2AP No. of works: 2 Year: 2001
Title: Untitled Size: 50 x 40,5 cm /Set of 4 prints// Technique: Non camera negatives, Gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 3+2AP No. of works: 4 Year: 2002
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Title: Landscape III Size: 27,5 x 40 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 5+2AP No. of works: 6 Year: 2001
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Title: Sea II Size: 10 x 12 cm Technique: Contact 4x5’ gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 5+2AP No. of works: 4 Year: 2008
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Title: Landscape II Size: 54 x 82,5 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 2+2AP No. of works: 4 Year: 2001
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Title: Landscape IV – transformation Size: 27 x 40,5 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper Edition: 3+2AP No. of works: 3 Year: 2001
Title: Faces of Foundation - Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development in Zabrze Size: 4 x 5 inch Technique: contact sheets on fiber-based paper No. of works: 12 Edition: 5+2AP Year: 2008
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Title: Still Life Size: 8 x 10 in Technique: gelatin silver prints fiber-based paper No. of works: in progress Edition: 5+2AP Year: 2011 /in progress/
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Title: Ironworks II Size: 15 x 22 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints fiber-based paper No. of works: 4 Edition: 5+2AP Year: 2010
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Title: Nice Size: 12 x 18 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints fiber-based paper No. of works: 3 Edition: 5+2AP Year: 2008
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Title: Silesia Size: 15 x 25 cm Technique: Gelatin silver prints fiber-based paper No. of works: 18 Edition: 5+2AP Year: 2010
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Title: Hexaman No. of works & Sizes: 4 pieces 200 x 30 cm, 12 pieces 20 x 30 cm Technique: scanning, archival print Edition: 3+2AP Year: 2001
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Title: Hurt Art. Opportunity of life. Media: artistic campaign, installation, 2 video projection Objects: 18 Euro paletts covered with black cloth, gold plates with “buried goods� information, mirrors in gilt frames Year: 2006/7
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„Pet”, object- cardboard boxes
650 boxes - cube (10cm length), euro-palette, offset print - CMYK
„Pet”, object- cardboard boxes
650 boxes - cube (10cm length), euro-palette, offset print - CMYK
Title: PET Media: art object Size: 80 x 120 x 150 cm Objects: Cardboard boxes (offset print), stretch film, euro pallet Year: 2005
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