NOT THERE / MIKS MITREVICS - HONZA ZAMOJSKI exhibitions artists cooperation info contact newsletter pl | en next prev LETO Gallery is pleased to present: NOT THERE / MIKS MITREVICS — HONZA ZAMOJSKI EXHIBITION: 19.03.2010 -12.04.2010 LETO Gallery ul. Hoza 9c, pl-00528 Warsaw, Poland tel. (+48) 22 499 59 16 (+48) 501 696 440 galeria@leto.pl „Nie tam” by Honza Zamojski and „Forgotten Moments” by Miks Mitrevics — about the documentation and interpretation „Whilst writing about the Ceylonese people, one must mention a small group (about 1000 people) of inhabitants of the jungle which are called Wolachs. They do not know the concept of time, nor what the hour, month, year mean (…) Michał Tarkowski, Polish explorer (1924) wrote the following short note about Wolachs: „They have lived for over 2000 years in the direct contact with different civilizations – but nothing of them have they taken over, they have not learned to steal or lie so far.” (dziennik podróży (journey diary), Zofia Zamojska, 1977) Interpretation 1. (countable) An act of interpreting or explaining what is obscure; a translation; a version; a construction. 2. (countable) A sense given by an interpreter; an exposition or explanation given; meaning. 3. (uncountable) The power of explaining. 4. (countable) An artist's way of expressing his thought or embodying his conception of nature. 5. (countable) An act or process of applying general principles or formulae to the explanation of the results obtained in special cases. 6. (countable, physics) An approximation that allows aspects of a mathematical theory to be discussed in ordinary language. ( HYPERLINK "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/interpretation" http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/interpretation) Everything is a matter of interpretation. We interpret history, literature, art. Whilst interpreting – we explain, conjecture, guess how it could have been. We probably make things up in many cases, following daring hypotheses, fantasize- rather orbiting around the truth than getting closer to it. Interpretation is sometimes risky. Honza Zamojski uses the interpretation as the methodology tool and at the same time he equates the methodology and artistic strategy. At the exhibition, the artist presents an installation consisting of slides taken during the sea journey of his grandmother – Zofia Zamojska, retrieved from the family archive (as the godmother of the “Konin” ship, she made two voyages: to the Middle East – 1970 and to India through the Suez Canal — 1983/1984). The selection of slides / photos is interlaced with words and short sentences “taken out” from the story recorded in journey diary. “What is written about a person or an event is frankly an interpretation –wrote Susan Sontag in the book titled “On Photography” – as are handmade visual statements, like paintings and drawings. Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it, miniatures of reality that anyone can make or acquire.” Zamojski uses two relationships (synonymous ones). He selects, collates, compiles. It seems that his actions are driven not so much but the very desire to learn about the past, but more or less seemingly impossible (ontologically) possibility of “tinkering” in its distant and finite tissue. The method of interpretation is the only chance to touch and intercourse with the past. It shall be noted that it rarely happens that the past of others is more interesting than our own. Documentation We can document everything with the use of the photography. We document politics, dramatic events which happen „now” and which later become history, art. Interpretation depends on the documentation, both good and bad. We interpret in the way allowed by it. Recurring to Susan Sontag: “Photographs furnish evidence. Something we hear about, but doubt, seems proven when we’re show a photograph of it. In one version of its utility, the camera records incriminates.”(!) The work of Miks Mitrevics was created during several months of his residential stays. A simple, everyday activity consisting of photographic documentation of the simplest events, places, led to the creation of a puzzle, a “wall newspaper”. As if in defiance of the belief and practice of recording important things, Miks Mitrevics photographs random things, collects impressions not trying to create the hierarchy of memories, not daring to judge them. Moreover, he equates them in both the visual and metaphorical layer of installation – he exposes his “puzzle” to the blowing fan. It is highly random which of the photographs/memories will outlast it. Memory Memory connects the works of Miks Mitrevics and Honza Zamojski. Memory with its complex structure of memorizing and forgetting, sudden recalling and the ongoing interpretation of the past. They are also connected by the fact that they consider memory in visual terms. Lets recall the anecdote related to the same installation of Miks Mitrevics, which was exhibited for six months at Manifesta 7 in Italy – photos exposed to sunlight became almost completely white at the end of the exhibition. The impact of the real time blend in the “Forgotten moments” concept, materializing the process of forgetting. The installations are also connected by the personal memory feature which origins from either own experience, as in the case of Mitrevics, or the own history or even genealogy (Zamojski). It is a question without an answer what will remain in the collective (identical to the participation in the same event) and individual memory (which is the result of experience, knowledge, emotions and interpretation) and what will disappear forever. Simone de Beauvoir, Siłą rzeczy, Warszawa 2009, s.212-213.: „Pieszo, taksówką, raz nawet fiakrem oprowadzałam go po całym Paryżu i wszystko mu się podobało: ulice, tłumy ludzi, rynki targowe. Na pewne szczegóły się oburzał: dlaczego nie ma zapadowych schodów po zewnetrznej stronie domów? Dlaczego nie ma balustrady nad kanałem Saint Martin? (...) W „Rose Rouge” Bost i Algren porównywali wspomnienia z szeregowej służby w armii amerykańskiej i francuskiej. (...) Algren przez dwie godziny opowiadał o swoich przyjaciołach – złodziejach, narkomanach i nie mogłam odróżnić prawdy od fantazji...” Tłum. cytatu: „On foot, by taxi, once even by fiacre, I showed him Paris and he liked everything: streets, crowds, marketplaces. Some details made him feel indignant: why there are no trap stairs outside houses? Why there are no guard rails along the Saint Martin Canal?(…). In “Rose Rouge”, Bost and Algren were comparing the memories of the rank-and-file service in American and French army. (…) For two hours, Algren was talking about his friends – thieves, drug addicts, and I was not able to tell the truth and the fantasy apart...” Susan Sontag, On Photography, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York Susan Sontag, On Photography, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York text: Marika Zamojska ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Miks Mitrevics Born 1980 in Latvia Lives and works in Gent, Belgium and Riga, Latvia Education: 2010 HISK — Higher Institute for Fine Arts, Gent, Belgium 1999-2005 MA Visual Communication, Latvian Academy of Art, Riga, Latvia 1998-1999 The Centre for Creative Learning, Dept. of Photo, Riga, Latvia 1992-1999 J. Rozental’s Riga Art School, Riga, Latvia Solo exhibitions: 2009 Carethings*, Riga Art Space, Latvia (With. K. Kursisa) 2009 Entropy Cube, VKN gallery / Kim?, Riga, Latvia (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) 2007 Collection of Persons, (part of Mobile Museum) Andrejsala, Riga, Latvia (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) 2006 The Observer, Peterborough Digital Arts gallery, England 2006 Somewhere nearby, National Art Museum / Creative workshop, Riga, Latvia 2003 Motel, Solo exhibition (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa), RIXC Media space, Riga, Latvia Group exhibitions (selected): 2009 Fragile Nature, Latvian exposition in the 53rd International Art Exhibition of Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (with E. Deičmane, collaboration w. K. Kursisa) (exh. cat.) 2009 Purvitis Art Award Exhibition, Latvian National Museum of Art, exhibition hall Arsenals, Riga, Latvia (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) (exh. cat.) 2009 Space Oddity, Europe XXL programme, maison Folie Wazemmes, Lille, France 2008 Swedbank Art Award, Kumu Art Museum, Tallin, Estonia (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) 2008 Exposition d'art contemporain balte, Baltic Contemporary Art, Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, France 2008 Is the Medium the Message?, Latvian Contemporary Photography, Andrejsala, Riga, Latvia (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) 2008 Manifesta 7, The European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Trentino – South Tyrol, Italy (Collaboration w. K. Kursisa) 2008 L'art en Europe, European Contemporary Art, Domaine Pommery, Reims, France 2008 Buket, National Centre for Contemporary Arts, Moscow, Russia (exh. cat.) 2008 Time Will Show, Museumsberg Flensburg, Flensburg, Germany (exh. cat.) 2007 Contemporary Art from Latvia, European Central Bank, Frankfurth, Germany 2007 Baltikum part I, Kalmar Art Museum, Sweden 2006 Forgotten Moments, Project presentation, Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen, Innsbruck, Austria 2005 Factory of Phantasmagoria, Lodz, Poland 2005 JUKAS, National Art Museum exhibition hall Arsenals, Riga, Latvia (exh. cat.) 2004 riga line up, Gonemo gallery, Eckernford, Germany 2004 2 show, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnus, Lithuania (exh. cat.) Awards & Grants: 2008 Swedbank Art Award Kumu Art Museum, Tallin, Estonia 2006 Diena Culture Award, Riga, Latvia 2006 East2East Commission, Peterborough Digital Arts, England 2006 UNESCO-Aschberg Bursary, Residency, Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen, Austria 2003 Year Award, Visual arts (Best multimedia project with K. Kursisa), Latvia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Honza Zamojski born 1981, lives and works in Poznań, Poland Scholarships and awards: 2009 Vysechrad Scholarship 2008 *Scholarship holder of the grant programme of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage „Young Poland”; *City of Poznań artistic scholarship holder in 2008 for outstanding artistic achievments. Education: 2002-08 MA studies at Graphic Design / Visual Communication faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan. Graduate — September 2008. 2000/02 Studies at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Philosophy and Culture Knowledge faculty. Solo exhibitions: 2008 -Nie tam. (Not there), Galeria Działań, WARSAW; 2007 -Polowanie na konika (Hunting for pony), Kronika Gallery, BYTOM; within the Kronika’s „Room for hire” project Untitled, Start Gallery, WARSAW; -Piekło-Niebo (Hell-Heaven), Studio Plastyczne Ścieżka, WARSAW (together with Radek Szlaga). 2006 -Life in the Undergrowth-for sir David Attenborough, Enter Gallery, POZNAŃ; -Liveevil, Plastyfikatory Gallery, LUBOŃ (together with Jakub Czyszczoń); -vs. CSW, park near CSW, WARSAW; within the Outsiders Gallery’s project -We will be here forever, Cafe Mięsna, POZNAŃ; within the Outsiders Gallery’s project. 2004 -Look...how beautiful, AULA Gallery, POZNAŃ. 2002 -Summer gallery, June-September, BWA Arsenał, POZNAŃ. Selected group exhibitions: 2009 DIFFERENCE BEYOND DIFFERENCE 90 years of Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Old Brewery, curator: Agata Rogoś Jeune Création Européenne in Paris/Montrouge — polish representation 2008 -Ukryte (Hidden), City Gallery, ZIELONA GORA; -Tribute to Wróblewski: Program GalleryWarsaw, Galeria Pies, POZNAN; -Manual CC: CSW Zamek Ujazdowski, Warsaw, Uqbar Project Space, Berlin, GERMANY; 2007 -We Came From Beyond, STARTER Gallery, POZNAŃ; curated by Michał Lasota, Honza Zamojski -Manual CC, Kronika Gallery, BYTOM; -Sme tady / Jesteśmy tutaj, Povazska Galeria Umienia, Zilina, SLOVAKIA; curated by Mira Putisova, Marek Adamov; -Nikdy nebolo lepsie, workshop and exhibition, Stanica, Zilina, SLOVAKIA; curated by Matej Vakula. 2006 -Fun Art, ON Gallery, IF Museum/Inner Spaces, POZNAŃ; -Post-era’s posters, Poster Museum in Wilanów, WARSAW. 2005 -Drawings’ spaces, U Jezuitów Gallery, POZNAŃ. 2004 -R.A.P, If Museum/Inner Spaces, POZNAŃ; -1st Biennale Euroart, Koszary Sztuki, ŚWINOUJŚCIE; -Unteerwegs, international workshop, Essen, GERMANY; -Kids-soldiers, CSW Inner Spaces, POZNAŃ. 2002 -Murales Festival, Węzeł Kliniczna, GDAŃSK. Curatorial projects: 2008 -Robert Maciejuk — Mirror of Nature, 15 November — 8 December 2008, STARTER Gallery, POZNAŃ curated by Honza Zamojski; -We Go Far Beyond, June 2008, POZNAŃ, WARSAW, KOSTRZYN, OBORNIKI SLASKIE, curated by Honza Zamojski artists: Hubert Czerepok+Maja Wolna, Olivier Kosta-Thefaine, Łukasz Jastrubczak, Luks Piekut, Piotr Sakowski, Przemysław Sanecki, Konrad Smoleński; -Iwo Rutkiewicz — All my yellow things, April 2008, STARTER Gallery, POZNAŃ, curated by Honza Zamojski 2007 -We Came From Beyond, November 2007, STARTER Gallery, POZNAŃ, curated by Michał Lasota, Honza Zamojski, artists: Jakub Czyszczoń, Marek Glinkowski, Alexey Klyuykov & Vasil Artamonov, Paweł Kowzan, Janek Simon, Radek Szlaga, Daniel Szwed, Matthias Wermke, Mateusz Witkowski, Honza Zamojski. 2006 -Mili i smutni (Sad and kind) — book with poems and illustrations of 30 young Polish artist, edited by Marian Misiak, Jakub Czyszczoń, Daniel Szwed, Honza Zamojski, artists: Basia Bańda, Karolina Brzuzan, Natalia Całus, Jakub Czyszczoń, Małgosia Dawidek Gryglicka, Krzesimir Drachal, Agnieszka Grodzińska, Anna Gubernat, Marcin Gwiazdowski, Jerzy Hejnowicz, Agata Janicka, Joe83,Kuba Kapral, Krzysztof Latocha, Magda Małczyńska-Umeda, Marian Misiak, Dominika Sadowska, Ela Skrzypek, Konrad Smoleński, Magdalena Starska, Kamil Strudziński, Seweryn Swacha, Marek Szczepański, Radek Szlaga, Piotr Szwabe, Daniel Szwed, Wu Es Be, Honza Zamojski, Marika Zamojska & Magda Nawrot, ZBK. 2006-07 -Outsiders Gallery, outside curatorial project, www.outsidersgallery.org, artists: Agnieszka Grodzińska, Daniel Szwed, Vladimir Umanets & Daniel Koniusz, Honza Zamojski Publications: -WCFB, WGFB — book about two curatorial projects, edited,designed and published by Honza Zamojski, Poznań 2008; -Sztuka z brzucha (Art from a stomach), „Brzuch” exhibition review, Czas Kultury, 3 (144) / 2008; -Nie ma problemu (There is no problem), exhibition review, Czas Kultury, Poznań 2007; -Nikdy nebolo lepsie, exhibition review, Gazeta Malarzy i Poetów 3/2007, Poznań 2007; -Mili i Smutni, co-editor of a book, May 2007; -Warsaw, Tokion presents Kreative Zine, November, Tokio 2006; -The end of the era, Brain Damage # 13, November 2005; -Publication in the „Drawing spaces” exhibition catalogue; -Postgraffiti and streetart, Witryna Czasopism ( www.witrynaczasopism.pl) nr.18, 2 lipiec 2004; -Postgraffiti and streetart, Gazeta Malarzy i Poetów 2/2004; -Pornoffiti, editor of web magazine about street culure, 2002-2007. Bibliography: -On our radar screen [in:" target="_blank"> 6 week Notebook — for collectors, Fundacja Bęc Zmiana, Warszawa 2007; -Michał Lasota, Milczący entuzjaści w Poznaniu i okolicach, „We Go Far Beyond” review, August 2008, www.obieg.pl; -Chcę tylko pokazać, że istnieją inne możliwości — Adam Fuss talks to Honza Zamojski, www.laznia.pl; -Marta Kosińska, We came from beyond, exhibition review, Gazeta Malarzy i Poetów 1/2008, Poznań, 2008; -Marcin Muth, Sztuka to walka, „We Came From Beyond” exhibition review, www.warzywo.blogspot.com; -Justyna Kowalska, Obcy w Mieszkaniu, „We Came From Beyond” exhibition review, www.obieg.pl; -Adam Fuss, Patrzeć i dostrzegać, interview with Honza Zamojski, www.artpapier.pl; -Adam Fuss, Polowanie na konika, www.spam.art.pl, 2007; -Michał Lasota, Do it yourself, „Mili i Smutni” book review ,Gazeta Malarzy i Poetów 3/2007, Poznań, 2007; -Michał Lasota / Krzysztof Łukomski, Rysować, malować, skakać i badać, Notes na 6 tygodni # 31, Warsaw, 2007; -Marika Zamojska, Piekło / Niebo, curatorial text to the „Piekło-Niebo” exhibition; -Jerzy Hejnowicz, Moja Podeszwa, curatorial text to the „Life in the Undergrowth” exhibition.