Portfolio by pawel dziemian

pawel dziemian p o r t f o l i o

2 0 0 9

artist statement r e c e nt /m a y 2 0 09

art as participation. art is act. my aim is to examine condition of human structures; but referring to critical theories, i would like to make a step forward, by applying political criticism into real life and art process. the only moral and truly critical, human way of doing that is not to replicate the power abuse acts, not to use people as a subjects, not to oppress as systems do. therefor i choose to examine myself as a human, as a participant of structures like society, family, culture or market. let's use example: there are art activities or art pieces, that in order to acheive its own critical aims, they victimize groups or individuals which are already oppressed; (obviously it may still be an interesting discourse of power, power distribution, it may be art as a functional tool in social science, or it may question who the artist is, and what's his duty - it brings reminiscence of marxism theories of labor, and historically based question: why there was an affair of art and power in the historical background and why art should rather affirm the good, and why all those relations seem be suspected), i would like to avoid this shadow, that's why my aim is to find a new way of criticism, and so one of my strategies is to test critical theories on myself, because that way it devoids them of aforementioned ethical relativism or ambiguity, there is no question of harm, victimizing, further more, and maybe it's even more important; trough those processes i find myself as a participant, a member of greater wholeness, human entirety; that's my goal; and in a way it brings into the surface fact that, not observation is important, rather participation - art as active attempt to shape reality. with no special tools, with no abusive strategies, just by simple acts. in my approach i'm far from total-art concept, but i strongly believe in those bottom-up and horizontal movements. what's is also crucial for me, is not to be tied to form, and its fineness. not to loose the possibility of creation because of lack of 'materials', not to be addicted to objects, material objects. regardless all art's transformation processes after modernism, it makes me doubt, when i see those 'fragile' things. maybe it's naively utopic, but i rather would like to pursuit fragile ideas. where it takes me? i don't know, but i hope to experience, more as a human, less as a producer of cultural, or virtual goods.

artist statement

h i s t o r i c a l / 2 0 08

skeptical family guy to describe my interest i would say that, i want to understand human kind, i move across the field of critical theories, gender studies, anthropology and art to exanimate complexity of human beings - social, biological, political and spiritual levels of diversity. i am fascinated with body as a biological function and as a embodiment of intellect, spirit, who knows, maybe soul. in entire year i'm preparing mfa diploma work on intermedia cathedral on academy of fine arts in poznan/poland. i work in widely considerate time-based medias, and multi-dimensional (3d+) course of creation bears a fruit of ideas extended on field of sculpture and spacial activities. my works characterize narrativety and linguistic content. form is rather pretext for essence, i don't communicate, not giving polarize statements, i introduce a chaos, that is pointed into well known, well established status quo, for receiver i don't offer help in reading works, i give a possibility for cognitive shock and deconstruction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; value claims effort, expecting receiver's synthetic approach, i compensate analytic, obsessive rigor of my own imagination; no less i postulate no expectations competences/references from receivers, means to make art available for public with no special art references; i look for forms and images existing in culture, known and recognized, functioning in reality, in mass visibility, to use them as modules for expressions building process. trauma i rather read into in the education in mass, socialistic elementary school as a one of 2000 students, or shaping personality on the surface of political-economical changes of poland in 90's i am a performer on the surface and a painter deep at heart. i work with time-based media and i also draw and sculpt. i am fascinated with life itself; i prefer family sagas to avant-garde theories. i am a keen observer. my uncompromising personality informs and shapes the utility expected of multilevel expression, which at times, creates a polemic with explicitness and clarity. my statement does not summarize. i work in series, and each body of work exists as an examination of questions and concerns. this statement will be summaries of artist statements i have developed for those works i recently completed.

mystery, the myth, and the seekers

p h o t o g r a p h y s e r i a s/2 0 0 9

series of photographs titled "the mystery, the myth and the seekers" consists of 20 images. beneath this title are find images gathered in past 2 years in reference to main concept which is atavistic path, barely modified trough ages of written and either not, history; path, that human kind is following constantly. the aim is to focus on irrational, narrative, collective human activities and its peripheries. the internal rule of cycle, the policy was to build images and connection within itself, that reminisces iconography of XIX century landscape painting on one hand and amateur, personal photo collection on other, to underline common sense of aesthetics, nature, and human being's born potential to connect individual stories, significant moments - like rituals and those apparently meaningless, that affect subtly our unconsciousness; with the background, the stage of natural environment. in cycle light matters, moment of day, both in photographic, formal way, although in storytelling, narrative layer of images and process of transposing the concept. composition also refers to horizon as function of infinity in visual language; space is endlessness of sights, limited, but only by the perception. photographs are 35mm film scans, prepared for high quality c-prints, dimension: 100x67 cm.

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;seeker 1' 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

’myths’ 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

’the myth’ 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;mystery of many thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;predator aproachsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;seeker 2' 100x67cm mystery, the myth, and the seekers/photography series/2009

national geographics

video cycle/13min./dvcpro hd/2009

national geographics - cycle of video works is based on idea of political correctness and its impotency to describe issues & conflicts of nowadays. basically it's all about taking into the surface the reasons, the roots of shape of present society. what is also important, is to break through the border, limitation of competency in local issues, to allow our self to move across foreign context as a test of our humanism. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s referring to idea of reducing competencies, to trust in sense or capacity of understanding and increase sensibility. formally, this work is combining two qualities of observation - passive and active, and two subjects - phenomena of nature and culture. work/concept in progress

’national geographics’ video/10 min./dvcpro hd/2009

’red sea food’ video/3 min./dvcpro hd/2009

case studies

v i d e o/ 6 m i n . / d v c p r o h d/ 2 0 0 9

inspired by social environment and cultural context of turkey, and also under influences of pierre baurdieu’s work ’la domination masculine’ I attempted to perform the situation of a clash, that I found my self facing during my residency there. basically ’case studies’ are indoor, monotonous, dull, uneventful activities. so much that, the protagonist is merging down with background - interior - like „proper women” should do in „proper home” - be invisible like part of a house - like furniture. only white socks cut off the figure, underline unnatural, unsuitable, inappropriate even, posture for man. this video record of female features and its performance in traditional concept of genders is way to find and negotiate what gender performance might mean for me - person living in a kind of modern, or at last mixed times of tradition and its deconstruction and criticism; and globalized contemporary culture, fulfilled with consumptionism. this work is based on contradictions, both symbolic and normative, present not only in traditional way of perception - bipolarity: wet/dry, natural/technical, indoor/outdoor. the final scene is rather a personal homage to feminity, from male perspective, that I cannot escape from. or if words above are incongruous patchwork, the point is to play roles, play for understanding. since I realized that particles of society have to perform some predefined roles, I play roles, change them, play with fun, even if sometimes it is difficult or even dangerous. work/concept/thought in progress

’case studies’ video/6 min./dvcpro hd/2009

the „f” lucky day

v i d e o/1 6m i n . / d v c p r oh d / 2 0 0 9

video work titled ’the „f” lucky day’ is closer to idea of short film form than video installation, but only superficially. there is no plot, there is only poetic voiceover, a story telling, there are suggestive sound layers, and endless devotion to image and its details. video footage was shooted on three different locations: ostrobotnia/finland, texas/usa, suwalszczyzna/poland, but not only a common denominator, which is darkness in this case, makes the images overlapping, but also a universal trope of way, escape and its effort that is examined, links different landscapes. work was realised in vaasa, and local legend - the story of prisonbreak from 70' was main inspiration for this disobliging reflection of freedom, love and independence. video was presented on ’night shots’ exhibition in platform art centre in vaasa, finland, feb. 2009. work is single channel video installation with sound, 16 min, dvcpro hd.

’the „f” lucky day’ video/16min./dvcpro hd/2009

atavisms II

p h o t o g r a p h y c y c l e/2 0 0 8

"the path, that i follow, although familiar, seems to be stranger, even though nothing had happened" atavisms are behaviors, functions and activities which bring to our contemporary life certain primal values. although humanity has been divided by few or several dozens of centuries, atavisms unite all humans. the same basic emotions include: fear of the dark, protection of progeny, avoidance of hunger, cold, and pain, and last, the need for companion and social structures. atavisms contain the potential for rituals and the archetypal; i wish to transpose contemporary sequences that are coded with symbols of the past, in the forms of activity which influence our material and spiritual reality. to build images i emphasize humans, both, as integral element of nature or environment and as an integral and equal element of representation. atavisms are staged in idle scenery because my point is to indicate that we are looking for salvation from nature, that we are starving for our primal identity as lost children from the womb of nature. atavisms series is reflection on the relation of humankind to nature and nature to humankind: a play with landscape and composition, ways of organizing space and space's influences on perception. this series also analyzes how visuality has been evolved. for example: the beauty of food and eating rituals, which despite deformations and passed time still persists in every culture in new, and different forms; a ritual that probably won't ever be forced out or displaced. atavisms take place in generic locations, seldom ordinary, but they occur in places that have the qualities inherent in nature: idle, peaceful, quiet. i quote images and repeat well-known from common visual culture iconography. my photos remind the viewer of holidays, recreation, sports, a return to the womb of nature; the first visual layer is photographic documentation of forms humans passing free time and their connection with this structure. but that is just a cover for my conclusion, in a way superficial, shallow and banal. but at same time, what is easily forgotten is a crucial and very important truth: that humans seek happiness, fulfillment, gratification, the need of continuity of being, transcendent concatenation with ancestors and offspring, and generic activities like rest, relaxation, sports, organic consumption, and simple contact with nature.

atavisms II

p h o t o g r a p h y c y c l e/2 0 0 8

8. 2.

12. 10.

11.

13.

1. the collecting I 2 the collecting II, gathering 3. the stunt I, spectacle 4. signs on the ground visible from the sky 5. human body geometrize, geometric instinct 6. the bliss of shared food 7. the beauty 8. the warriors 9 . the gender key group 10. the stunt II, personal challenge 11. the passage, initiation 12. the food rivalry 13. the irrational

order of pictures above represents the way how constellation was build in space, the bigest picture nr 7. ’the beauty’ - is 200cm x 135cm, all composition is approx. 1500cm long. project was exhibitete in budapest/hungary oct-nov 2008, on ’fresh&polish’ - young polish photography exhibition in framework of budapest photo-festival 2008.

1. the collecting I atavisms series II/photography/2008

2. the collecting II, gathering atavisms series II/photography/2008

3. the stunt I, spectacle atavisms series II/photography/2008

4. signs on the ground visible from the sky atavisms series II/photography/2008

5. human body geometrize, geometric instinct atavisms series II/photography/2008

6. the bliss of shared food atavisms series II/photography/2008

7. the beauty atavisms series II/photography/2008

8. the warriors atavisms series II/photography/2008

9 . the gender key group atavisms series II/photography/2008

10. the stunt ii, personal challenge atavisms series II/photography/2008

11. the passage, initiation atavisms series II/photography/2008

12. the food rivalry atavisms series II/photography/2008

13. the irrational atavisms series II/photography/ 2008

we do it with pride

i n s t a l l a t i o n/2 0 0 8

work is reflection of a localism and reasons of its present shape economical identity, market-corporate loyalty and trade of cultural identification. it is built on two heard stories, which are found in certain way in images as some quotes. first is „that goebbels is father contemporary advertising”. second „we do it with pride” - the phrase from talk with man, who took a part in balkan war as 18 years old, answer for question about emotions accompanied participation in war, was it compulsion, order, necessity? images constellation is 1 m. high and approx. 5 m. wide, two colour pictures are photographs, black&white picture - goebbels portrait is low-quality, xero-copy print, with visible traces of folding it to a4 size, like free attachments for colour magazines. the opening image is watercolour painting on paper 15x20cm. Work has been exhibited on ‘great poland’ exhibition curetted by ewa wojtowich and chris lukomski, at arsenal gallery poznan/poland as a part of mediations biennale poznan oct. 2008.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;we do it with prideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; constellation/watercolor, photographys, photo copy/2008

who confused the lyrics

s c u l p t u r e/2 0 0 8

who confused the lyrics is second work realised in body of work of transgeneration issues and so-called generation gap. the title refers to idea of song, but not the pop entertainment concept: a stanza - a chorus - bridge - a stanza; but rather to late medieval/early renascence idea of song played with the highest, noble, most holy, or devoted instruments - human voice. basically, I refer to those important, meaningful songs like anthems or prayers, that support identification processes, social feelings or collective exhilarations on both material and spiritual level - trough harmony of voices, mutual knowledge of lyrics, physical experiences of sound and partnership in the believes. this concept I applied to process of working on ’grey matter’ exhibition tutored by prof. m. balka, I took grey matter term out of its scientific context, and tried to find a common gray thing, something that casts a shadow, not that explicit, but any way visible and present in entire life - traumas, those more real, and those less material. the work was created as a reenactment, the remake of sculpture that I was obligated to do in elementary school on practical classes, out of soap, grey soap. the point is that soap might have many different significations, and trauma can mean different reasons and obviously different forms and its symptoms. beside the fact that we sing the same song, with common melody, the lyrics are different, or maybe not, might be the same, but someone confused those words. facing this fact I decided to realize sculpture made out of grey soap, sculpture of duck, that I did once before, in early 90's, in polish thousand anniversary school, gray, dirty, overloaded with kids, whom parents like mine struggle economical changes of new political status quo of democratic capitalism. I decided to brought back one of the artifacts of traumatic period, time of grey in its minimal form. the aim was to communicate, visualize trauma, to bring to surface new sensibility of polish generations, in references to historical, personal context of previous generations. work was presented on ‘grey matter’ exhibition in ‘on’ gallery, poznan/poland, feb. 2008 in framework of prof. miroslaw balka’s studio. material: grey soap, wooden plate, dimensions: 10x8x6 cm, 20x20x1,5cm

‘who confused the lyrics’ sculpture/ grey soap, wood/2008

stronghold of hate

i n s t a l a t i o n/2 0 0 8

stronghold is a solid, hard, timeless construct; it doesn't affirm good, welfare like art that entangled is to the conformism towards systems, classes, institutions. hate which it's operating, is research of antisocial behaviour, is a false mirror, in which I reflect own bad and ugly countenance. multithreaded narration, where the connector, adhesive among histories, fables are figures, aspect of the protagonist - a performer is well known and recognizable formal exertions in literature or generally culture, through the cinema especially. but in this case the protagonist's character it's not just formal manipulation, it's the most important meaning of this work - the research done on my self, it's decision made to avoid judgements, to avoid ethical doubts in its negative, dark, vulgar field of examination. but also from the other hand the aim is to face all those feed backs short-listed above. it's also, because this kind of research needs more personal, empiric or even essential reflection and involvement. in this work I tried to get into a relevantly deep stronghold of hate, and stay there as long as possible; to observe world and reality from the point, in which art is not any longer the act of improvement of present status quo, that art is simply extension of urges, beyond interpersonal structures established through political correctness and present normative systems. it might cast a shadow, it might be self-violent, it's a voice from the bottom of my heart, dark bottom. I tried to stay on level of oppression, to oppress receivers, to attempt oppressing conformist relations, and with my own agreement - to be oppressed, in order of deeper examination, deconstruction, and internal point of view. stronghold of hate is peculiar narration, which uses visual language - from video, through three dimensional forms, ready made to audio cast. the opening part I titled 'I am afraid of life' is kind of 'trailer', precursor or forerunner of 'stronghold of hate'. it's a video loop built of audio track and assigned video image. it introduces the spirit of 'stronghold', suggests the clue, gives a key to stronghold of hate, attacks with sound, voice and its language, and an image; to prepare a receiver for imminent offensive, assaults of his sensibility; and test his susceptibility for iconoclastic, anti-academical and critical towards even criticism in contemporary art, content of 'stronghold of hate' project.

‘marked red’ 8:00 min, video stills ‘stronghold of hate’ part/hdv/2008

stronghold of hate

i n s t a l a t i o n/2 0 0 8

part II titled 'marked red' is a video loop with an additional object - the foreign sells mail order catalogue from early 90' - hundreds of pages with offers, on chalk, semi-glossy paper, female and male models, pack shots, products, from kid's confection, ladies wear, to fitness equipment. aesthetic is important, glare of consumption, but without luxuries, subjective approach to conventional, collusive beauty of human body, but without convulsing with nudity, communication on subliminal level. my integration is about drawing over, smears with a red colour felt-tip pen all female models in this print. transparent line of colour, drawn in hysterical gesture, creates spots transforming the image to colour scale from red to black. misogynous act, fetishistic, stigmatizing. but, in face of the fact of commercialization, marketing strategies and advertising through shallow sexuality; the question appears, aren't we all suffering because of that? aren't we all wounded despite gender? isn't a double-edged axe, that harm females and males same time, from same reasons, but in different way?

‘marked red’ part 20x30, ‘stronghold of hate’ part/color catalogue/2008

‘cain & abel’ 2:00 min, video stills ‘stronghold of hate’ part/hdv/2008

stronghold of hate

i n s t a l a t i o n/2 0 0 8

part III ’cain & abel’ and IV titled ’run and hide’ are in close relation to them selves. they are representations or maybe rather a repetitions of two different forms of symbolic and simultaneously physical self violence. those images, what’s crucial, are also quotes from popular visual culture. both videos are hdv quality, exported to dvd, approx. 2 minutes long loops, each.

‘run and hide’ 2:40 min, video stills ‘stronghold of hate’ part/hdv/2008

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stronghold of hateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; installation/wood, silicon/2008

stronghold of hate

i n s t a l a t i o n/2 0 0 8

beside screens composition, space with video images is fulfilled with a three-dimensional object, the over-scaled remake of shakers designs table. shakers were sect developing in northeast states of america in XIX century, they were refugees from the british empire, they were famous from exelent handcraft, like carpentry, their minimal, plain design was established before achievements of modernism, like bauhaus, and they refused procreation, as a way to increase the population of believers, basically the reject sexuality and devote to labour. the table is a rework of shakers design in 120% scale, made of oak; the udder is also hyper natural size, made of white silicon. additionally with body of ’stronghold of hate’ installation contains ’burn’ - video chronologically different, but referred to similar issues. it reflects ideas of sacrifice, pain and beauty related to genders and their approaches to corporeality and lustfulness.

‘burn’ 1:20 min, video stills ‘stronghold of hate’ part/hdv/2008

shaded from full moon light i n s t a l a t i o n/2 0 0 7

’shaded from full moon light’ is site specific installation, or rather sketch for installation, drawn with a fat pencil outline. the aim was to build two different images - first with indoor, artificial light, and second with light that gets through the window, artificial as well. the materials that I used are significant: long, women’s dress, that I burned to create a drawing of shadow on the wall, forks which nailed dress to the wall, and remain after burning; books that are basis for the shadow that is cast in real: one is titled ’vademecum for parents: children from six to 10 years old’ (1987, warsaw) - illustrated book, tutorial how to grow up children, and second one is western novel of huhg pendexter ’the fighting years’ (1933) - book published in szczecin/poland in 1989 - first postwar edition, which title in polish is the same as title of first solo exhibition of wilhelm sasnal in poland (lata walki - zacheta, national gallery/warsaw, 2007). this work is research about shadows, both in literal, physical way and metaphorical; reasonable consciousness, and subliminal traumas and fears. it’s also net of interests in a postmodern psychoanalysis and my own dreams/nightmares that I kill some one. dimensions variable; soot, chief’s forks, books, trashes, indoor/outdoor lighting

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shaded from full moon lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, site specific installation/mixed media/2008

untitled from atavisms series p h o t o g r a p h y c y c l e/2 0 0 7

the concept is to capture the image of humankind in his environment. for this reason, i concentrate on earth as a basis for structures in which we are involved (natural structures, human structures and replications of natural structures made by humans). the aim is to build the integral image of reality, where the anthropo-pression (like other outcomes of interaction with the environment) is the matter of nature. in this photo series, i attempt to simplify images as much as possible, rejecting the portrait of people as an element of the image. (i avoid portraiture because it enables the viewer to follow some details of personalized stories; therefore i try to imagine people faceless, as much as possible). wide-crops also preserve the focus on personal details. what is more important is that the context of humans in the environment and the relation with space are not described as a place. the effort is necessary. that is the price of the integrity of image.

this work had been selected by jury (with andreas gursky) and brought me the best new artist prize in epson art-photo award 2007-2008. cycle contains of 6 c-prints, 112x76cm. each.

untitled, 112x76cm photography from atavisms I series, 2007

untitled 76x50cm each photography from atavisms I series/2007

according to diogenes

i n s t a l a t i o n / m i x e dm e d i a/2 0 0 7

’according to diogenes’ is site specific installation, exhibited in inner spaces if museum/poznan as a part of prof. miroslaw balka’s students’ show. main aim was to create both, internally and externally ’cynical’ space, through its content and functions. work is built of few different tropes: studies of triangle/pyramid and its features; functionality of gadgets; feng shui as a concept of influencing people through space and objects, and obviously cynical analyse of imagination of certain terms. in the lobby of the gallery, on radiators I mounted anti-birds - stainless steal needles, which are usually mounted on roofs, walls and other architectural details like cornices, shelfs and stoas, to prevent pigeons and other kinds of urban birds sitting down. in this particular case anti-dove get a new site specific feature above ’new’ function as a seat in a lobby, for gallery visitors during lengthy venues and exhibitions’ openings. in the aim to influent people in cynical way I also introduced a new interior design gadget - pyramid, which suppose to suck the energy, and send it up, into the air. also that’s why there is a god, consists of infinite number of particles, but pointing it self - the sky. there are stones - the simplest marks of devotions, the simplest chapels or monuments, but in this installation present as a possibility of destruction, basic weapon or tool of violence. internal complexity, multithreading and exceptive, rivalling elements are intentional parts of diogenes way of dialogue, rather confusing that communicating. work consists of varied materials and media: photography (framed or not), ready made ( anti-bird/stainless steal needles), plaster casts, stones.

untitled, site specific â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/plaster cast, photography/2007

untitled, 100x100cm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/photography/2007

untitled, site specific â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/stainless still, stones, framed photography/2007

untitled, 16x16cm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/photography/2007

untitled, site specific, 200x12x4cm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/stainless still/2007

untitled, 70x70cm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;accordind to diogenesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;/photography/2007

say hallo c - p r i n t s / 1 0 0 x 7 0 c me a c h/2 0 0 7

’say hallo’ is anti-photography series focussed on communication processes and its peripheries, like body language or social manifestations (through visual code) of a personal statement. in the term of this concept ’antiphotography’ means that photographic image is distorted, has an internal obstacle, that makes read more difficult. in this particular case, it’s typography, which suppose to make the message of picture cleaner or easier to catch, but a graphic layout is competing with photographs - hiding huge parts of image field. this formal exertions are other way to introduce complexity of communication and its issues. the term of anti-photography is also overlapping with important idea of internal contradiction, which I would like to follow and examine as typically human, essential construction. ’say hallo’ series was published for the first time in ’tempo - visual massage’ internet magazine, ’hallo’ issue/2007 www.tempomgz.com

‘be patient’ 100x70cm ‘say hallo’ series/c-print/2007

‘too fancy’ 100x70cm ‘people’ 100x70cm ‘say hallo’ series/c-print/2007

‘couples’ 100x70cm ‘say hallo’ series/c-print/2007

‘jesus’ 100x70cm ‘say hallo’ series/c-print/2007

XII labors of hercules

v i d e oc o n s t e l l a t i o n/2 0 0 7

the work is a 7-channel video "constellation": four works are assigned to three apocrypha. i deconstruct myths that are present in modern culture: individualism, masculinity, the ritual of initiation and absolute love. work III represents individualism. a man's head is present in the frame at all times. for over 10 minutes, we look at it when the man takes a quick walk over a field and sings pop love songs loudly and in a forced manner. work V introduces anxiety. it begins like a horror movie: a dark forest framing two legs hanging in the centre. after a moment, we realise that this is a man sitting on a swing and not a hanged person. childish play in an adult world takes on sombre colours. work VII presents the action of cutting one's hair and shaving in the entourage of a traditional italian barber. the barber, making ritual movements with his scissors and comb, circles around his customer. he cuts, smoothes out, turns. each move is accompanied by excessive diligence. time hangs heavy; meticulousness and conscientiousness become unnerving. hair cutting and shaving are the attributes of man. taking care of "masculinity" requires time and attention. one of the apocryphal images (apocrypha to works) puts the entire cycle in brackets; the cycle's title makes reference to the works of the mythical hercules. a man sharpens his scythe and then cuts grass on a green meadow flooded with light. one can sense the toil and sweat. as far work has been exhibited as a full constellation 3 times on: nostalgy 4 present, poznan/poland; samsung artmaster, warsaw/poland and bienalle of young artists, bari/italy and as a selected videos on exhibitions in poland and abroad.

XII labors of hercules essay 2007 one of the reliable sources of experience is the disappointment. actually, thanks to disappointment I achieve progress. when imagination doesn't merge with reality, when imagination passes with real, a new realistic verification arises; it becomes an update of an image, dream, convictions, touch and contact with the empirical world. those slippages that constantly report with certain confirmation is disappointment but it is incorporeal. that experience is not material. the important thing is to commune. let us imagine a child. it gets wind of the world, discovers. let us imagine boiling water or heat - a hot kettle. ways, there are many of them – ocean of possibilities seems, that child got to know the world. rejecting intuition as a born skill of human beings, stay already just two: first - an aroused child touches heat, a hot object ('cause the warm attracts human kind, thus, the heat attracts in an extreme way), puts his hand into the boil. the hand gets burnt, the child gets burned, gets mature, scar stays, till the end of life to carry the birthmark. secondly - the child doesn't afflict heat, 'cause doesn't want to, 'cause there are other things more attractive, 'cause there is no such heat object (of tough reality) nearby, in his surroundings – environment marked out, pedagogical environ, the simulation of reality. one can establish, that 'child' will never touch a boil, will avoid sorrow, will avoid also knowledge or and also, soon or later, will afflict hazards – will explore a fully dimensional, real world. fact/effect/value remains without change – progress by disappointment, thorough lost to development. individualism of a unit, particular being; individualism of individual - tautology. absolute love - internal contradiction. by burnt hand of 'child' I discard layers of present-day heavens like onion skins. there are tears, also. insomuch as the human kind needs a myth, needs a history/meaning like faith... it seems probably, that we assign histories, for our life our histories, that in life we realize certain, particularly unwritten screenplays, myths. we fulfill novel (verbal consequence of being) of our life, even during brewing up a tea bag or a dreg tea - it depends, which fairy tale bewitched, captivated us. which is the fable that we are, and what are we fulfilling our identity with? history, a tale, verbal remittance, word, thought. end. the rest remains for philosophers - words. and reality (determined/created as an intellectual structure by perception) I return into arms of psychoanalysts. (crying for an answer: how perception is distorted?!)

burnt hand, burnt tongue, hot head or maybe just hot headed and although, some time ago there were many myths - it seems. were those about coexistence, life with others, myths constituted community - social tales to fulfill; there were individual myths, those which join the plot of decisions, creeds, particular events; render to complete the life, with mind own destinations/fate/doom. there were, those which should guarantee happiness, but not accustomed, regular luck like a bonanza, but those which were able to ensure, that history will get happy ended. I don't know myths. I know superstitions and proverbs, which entertain like amusement, I know customs and schemes of behaviors establish relations, I reject faith, total axioms, I would like to reject believing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is what I believe. I have lens and eye. and then one hand hurts burnt, second tries to write histories. I am not a southpaw. I cannot. I try. it is hard to reject, to blow a hole in only what I possess and what adheres to. eyes sting, I rip onion skin off. individualism of an entity, maybe comes with the wester, from myth of a pioneer, maybe happened to jesus, who spoiled the idea of wine - wine mustn't have just been for yourself, wine due to be shared, when beer is only for you - that he spoiled the commune as well, given himself as an example. that individual has reason, that sorrow of individual has a point, that division to individuals and community has purport. everyone is different, everyone is special, everyone can do/be everything. what everyone can? air, water, bread, excrements. absolute love, where place takes whatever -ontological - categorical shift, where substance becomes subject? where we turn exigency of certain relation, its presence; need of presence into subject. nobody is un-replaceable, we don't want to replace everyone is unique after all. a tree. a tree has infinite number of leaves. everyone is different, outstanding. together we create a tree. it is hard to look at the tree, to focus on the one particular tree in the forest. forest is beautiful, I look at the forest. I look for a perfect, but not an ideal tree, the infinity begins. forest succumbs fire â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the contact with nature begins. in forest one can have a chainsaw, trees behave like matches, forest like a matchbox. a hundred of years. a minute of fuck. a hundred years of loneliness. human life was always perilous. nothing has changed, still, it is like a matchbox â&#x20AC;&#x201C; potential. it seems, that life is still perilous, at the end seems yet, that thinking is megalomania, that thought should never be that much material, that far discursive, that there should be nothing to chatter about, 'cause even I am refuting (at least trying) the myths of my life, this and so not I feel a clean intention. dirty fingers. art as a extension of own ego, as if I would spurt on my face. ps. may I feel like saint thomas or rather I usurp? I put fingers in holes after bullets.

labor I apocryphe/epilogue - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

labor III - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

labor VII - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

labor V - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

labor VII - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

labor VII apocryphe - video stills (found footage from ’edward II’ by derek jarman, 1991) XII labors of hercules 2007

apocryphe for labors - video stills XII labors of hercules 2007

oikoumene

v i d e oc o n s t e l l a t i o n/2 0 0 7

"oikoumene is a permanently inhabited land, with conditions for permanent existence. oikoumene is a video constellation representing different appearances of genocide, attempts to homogenize environment and extermination. it consists of two documentary films, searching for evidence of interventions in natural environment and operations on population. the science doesn't consider terms like ethics. to the contrary, we do. what does it mean natural environment? who defines what is the primal shape of the living space? what is our responsibility to the living space? I cannot feel responsible. i cannot get involved in issues outside my environment; country or context of native nationality, therefore, i am keeping distance - in a manner of a scientist with a cool eye, just watching population's moves. bull-frogs : story of an invasive species by gabriel martin, hervé carriou; le haillan (bordeaux), france, 2004 in the 70's, crazy adventurer brought the bull-frogs from america and put them in his pond in france as pets. he didn't know they are cannibal super-predators who will adapt very well to their new environment and reproduce very quickly. he didn't know they will destroy other species and change the local biodiversity. association « cistude nature » is studying them and trying to find the ultimate plan for extermination of this invasive species. we and they - the voice of land by pawel dziemian, julij borštnik; slovenia - ljubljanska kotlina and dolenjska, 2006 this documentary film is a record of a trip at the end of november 2006 trough the places where the name strojan was an explosive material. the aim of this trip was to catch and detect the fears and phobias and the responses to them, that temporarily came to the surface through the scandal around roma familly of strojan's. the fears and phobias are allways present, but otherwise lattent and hidden.

work as constellation consists of two perpendicular screens with two projections, in loop, with interviews and its documentary record. it was effect of collaboration with two artists: julij borštnik ang gabriel martin during my residency at the art center, artist in context programme. two channel projection, dv, 12 min 2007.

‘we and they - the voice of lands’ - video stills ‘oikoumene’/2 channel video installation/2007

‘bull-frogs : story of an invasive species’ - video stills ‘oikoumene’/2 channel video installation/2007

Polna 27/8, 60 - 533 Poznan, Poland

tel. 0048 889 290 262 e-mail: paul.vs.paul@gmail.com

Pawel Dziemian Education

2004 - 2009

Academy of Fine Arts, Poznan, Poland • MA studies on Multimedia Communication Department - Intermedia Faculty

2002 - 2004

Academy of Fine Arts, Poznan, Poland • BA studies on Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Department - Printmaking

2002 - 2003

Adam Mickiewicz’s University, Poznan, Poland • Studies on History Department - History of Arts Faculty

1998 - 2002

Exhibitions

gen. Z. Podhorski’s Highschool, Suwalki, Poland • Learning on Direction of Humanistic Sciences

selected individual and group

03/2009

Milano, Italy

Epson Art Photo Award ’Atavisms I’ - Galleria Grazia Neri

02/2009

Night Shots

Vaasa, Finland

” F’ lucky day” - Platform Art Center

12/2008

Warsaw, Poland

Center for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle ’Stronghold of Hate’ - 5th Samsung Art Master

10/2008

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest Photo Festival ’Atavisms II’ - ’Fresh & Polish’ - polish emerging photography exhibition

Great Poland, Mediations Biennale

Poznan, Poland

’We do it with pride’ - Arsenal gallery

05/2008

BJCEM Biennale 2008

Bari, Italy

’XII Labors of Hercules’ - Biennale of Young Artists, polish representation

Manual - Uqbar Project Space Manual Creative Commons

(C.C.A. Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw)

Berlin, Germany - Four4!Factorial Group

Kairos - Polish Emerging Artists in MCK

Krakow, Poland

’XII Labors of Hercules’ - International Culture Center

04/2008

Digital Romantic - Neue Lanschaften

Dusseldorf, Germany

’Atavisms I’ - Epson Kunstbetrieb

ArtCologne

Koln, Germany

’Atavisms I’ - Epson Art Photo Award 2007/08 Show

02/2008

ON Gallery

Poznan, Poland

‘Gray Matter’ - prof. Miroslaw Balka’s students exhibition

12/2007

ON Gallery

Poznan, Poland

‘Mortalkombat’ - Four4!Factorial Group

Novi Sad, Serbia

Videomedeja ‘Timeless Project’ - Four4!Factorial Group

Warsaw, Poland

Klima Bochenska’s Gallery ‘Kino’ -‘Timeless Project’ - Four4!Factorial Group

Stary browar

Poznan, Poland

‘Emporium os sences’ - Timeless 2.0, Four4!Factorial Group

11/2007

Wroclaw, Poland

Entropia Gallery ‘Negentropia’ - It was my performance

Gdansk, Poland

Artist’s Colony/Gdansk Shipyard ‘All Soul’s Day.com’ - Labour V of Hercules

10/2007

Klodzko, Poland

Labiryny - new art festival ’On the bosom’

Kronika Gallery

Bytom, Poland

Manual Creative Commons - Four4!Factorial Group

06/2007

Kateøinská Garden/Psychiatric Clinic

Prague, Czech Republic

‘Nothing to Wonder at…?’ - selected Labours of Hercules

Warsaw, Poland

Center for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle ‘XII Labours Of Hercules’ - 4th Samsung Art Master

05/2007

Poznan, Poland

‘Plazma’ Festival of Art in Public Space ‘Say Hallo’

Inner Spaces Gallery

Poznan, Poland

‘According to Diogenes - prof. Miroslaw Balka’s students exhibition

04/2007

Aula Gallery N4P* - ‘XII Labours of Hercules’

Poznan, Poland *Nostalgia for the Present

03/2007

Bios - performance Festival

Brzezno, Poland

‘This is a liberal performance’

Art Claims Impulse

Berlin, Germany

Timeless 2.0 - Four4!Factorial Group

Ljubljana, Slovenia

ROG Socialni Center ‘Oikoumene’ - video constellation

02/2007

Berlin, Germany

Art Claims Impulse Histerie und Neurosis - Timeless 1.0 & 2.0 - Four4!Factorial Group

Inner Space

Poznan, Poland

Hygiene - prof. Miroslaw Balka’s students exhibition

01/2007

Stalowa Wola, Poland

Muzeum Regionalne w Stalowej Woli Self-portrait; post-contest exhibition

12/2006

Menza Pri Kpritu

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Video_animals - video showcase & live Vj act

09/2006

Dritte Berliner Kunstsalon

Berlin, Germany

Timeless 2.0 - Four4!Factorial Group

Betonsalon

Vienna, Austria

Diesel New Art Exhibition - Timeless Project

06/2006

Piekarnia Studio

Poznan, Poland

Recycling - prof. Miroslaw Balka’s students exhibition

05/2006

Stary Browar

Poznan, Poland

Vidioci - annual Intermedia exhibition 03/2006

ON Gallery

Poznan, Poland

Timeless Project - Four4!Factorial Group

01/2006

Devon, UK

Dartington Gallery Timeless Project - Four4!Factorial Group Piekarnia Studio

Poznan, Poland

LekiNaRaka - prof. Miroslaw Balka’s students exhibition

05/2005

Poznan, Poland

Old Slaughterhouse Gallery ‘Reality - the mirror ’- instalation, 3’4” - performance

Aula Gallery

Poznan, Poland

‘Forever yang’ - painting instalation

Experiences/ achievements

Henkel International Art Award

07/2009 • Polish finalist

Marmara Univeritesi Istanbul / Turkyie

02-07/2009 • Scholarship

5th Samsung Artmaster Young Polish Art Contest

12/2008 • Contest’s final exhibition

Epson Art Photo Award 2007/08

04/2008 • Best Artist Prize

4th Samsung Artmaster Young Polish Art Contest

04/2007 • Honourable Mention in the contest 2006-2007

Pepinieres Europeenesse Pour Jeunes Artistes • 6th Artists in Context Programme, residency in Art Center Sredisce / Slovenia.

12/2006

5th International Contest ‘Self-portrait’, Regional Museum Stalowa Wola • honourable in international contest for Fine Arts students.

2004-2007

Activity in Four4!Factorial Group • 8 released projects in Poland and abroad, 2 projects in progress. Group output are several honourables and presence in G.K. Collection.

www.fourfactorial.net 2004-2007

Tempo - Internet Mag • colaboration and involvement in internet magazine Tempo.