Opening: October 6, 2023, at 7:00 PM
Exhibition open until October 31, 2023.
The exhibition titled “Dziatki/Dziadki” is a continuation of the painting diploma of Natalia Wirmańska, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Her diploma work, “Wracam tam, gdzie początek” (“I Return to Where the Beginning Is”), is the result of deep exploration into the private and communal memory of the Polish countryside. The images from the Podhale region depict a far cry from a romantic idyll. Here, the village is a space of power relations and subordination, with women, men, children, farm animals, and nature as both subjects and objects. In the “Dziatki/Dziadki” exhibition, Natalia Wirmańska, a visual artist, along with her brother Maciej Wirmański, a sound artist, focus exclusively on private memory and the intimate bond between siblings and their deceased grandparents.
“Dziatki/Dziadki” comprises oil paintings, soundscapes, field recordings, and objects related to specific places within the artists’ grandparents’ home and surroundings, which are now in a state of disrepair. Using various forms of expression, the siblings recreate a place that was their childhood haven – the only place where they felt happy and safe. Nevertheless, this past happiness and security still hold bitterness, such as the bitterness of passing and the enduring generational traumas. The sister is responsible for the visual aspect, while the brother handles the auditory dimension. They share equal responsibility for acquiring objects from the deteriorating building – remnants of childhood happiness – and for the overall concept.
“The need to create a shared initiative, such as the ‘Dziatki/Dziadki’ exhibition, stems from our memories from our mother’s family home and the relationships between us – the grandchildren (‘dziatki’) – and our grandparents (‘dziadki’). This home no longer exists – our grandparents and our mother have passed away, and the building stands as a mere shell, fit for demolition. We wanted to encompass our shared and distinct experiences, memories, and emotions associated with this unique home through various creative forms, both formally and sensually. The sister, Natalia Wirmańska, will be responsible for the visual dimension of the exhibition, while the brother, Maciej Wirmański, will handle the sound design and field recordings. Together, they will work on the conceptual, curatorial, literary, and spatial elements of the exhibition.”
Natalia Wirmańska – a graduate in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. She primarily works with oil painting and various drawing techniques. Her art revolves around her origins, drawing from photographs documenting life mainly in Podhale. She attempts to confront depicted situations with her often challenging personal experiences and memories. In her painting and drawing, she embarks on a journey into her past, focusing primarily on her childhood. Besides examining interpersonal relationships, she also emphasizes the inter-species connections.
Maciej Wirmański – creates experimental and electroacoustic music. He is the author of sound design for radio plays, theater performances, museum exhibitions, and artistic installations. Under the pseudonym “Goralenvolk,” he creates harsh noise. He is also involved in the field recording movement. He is the founder of the music label “Szara Reneta,” which promotes and releases experimental music. In his work, he contemplates the relationship between sound and memory. Recently, he has been focusing on the formal dimension of sound art and data sonification. Occasionally, he works as a music critic and journalist.