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CT / Kostka Gallery / Jakub Woynarowski (PL): Somnium
Kostka Gallery
Curator: Piotr Sikora
Opening: 21. 10. 2015, 19:00
Exhibition duration: 21. 10. – 8. 11. 2015
In the "Somnium" exhibition Kuba Woynarowski attempts to find a missing element in the art history, one that could match and connect Renaissance "Constructivism" from Nuremberg with the 20th century avant-garde. Even though it may sound like a fraud or conspiracy theory, Kuba is bending over backwards to make the story as much probable as it gets. One can ask whether it is possible at all. The key to follow his narratives is the very first sci-fi novel written by Johannes Kepler – a well known scientist who was guesting at the court of Rudolf II, back in the days when Prague was a vivid center in the European triangle of black magic in connection with Turin and Toulouse.
Working at Rudolf's court, Kepler was not only focused on his famous telescope but also building a collection of art pieces that remain only a legend. His goal was to gather art that was blindly devoted to geometrical abstraction. It could be considered a simple pattern, which does not follow all of the realistic tendencies taking first place in Renaissance's time. In fact the geometrical non-figurative graphics, sculptures and drawings were based on grid – an ancient tool that came into use for building perspective and gaining precision. Separated from the image, the grid itself turns to be the trigger for new tendencies. At the time of Mannerism it was especially distinctive: renewed ancient ideas started to fall into artistic exaggeration. Instead of using the grid as a way to build an image of reality, artists started to be fascinated with the opportunities for the creation of a new world, utilizing the dimensions and layers this tool gave. The landscapes tend to have geometrical order and are composed of abstract figures. Among these basic shapes we can find a black square - "vera icon" that was to show the biggest mystery of the modern times.
No wonder why when we get back to Rosalind Krauss’ “The originality of the avant-garde”, most of the text will concern the grid. The net of perpendicular lines, a pattern that gave basics for the myths of uniqueness and genius spirit supposedly found in the 20th century Modernism. Krauss uses this motive to show how repetitive the avant-garde could be. If we knew Kepler's collection we would not have doubts about it. Unluckily all of it disappeared from Rudolf's castle, in a fire caused by one of king's alchemical experiments. The heritage and the impact of Nuremberg Constructivism remain forgotten.
Woynarowski builds a straightforward suggestion – to get to know Kepler's collection you should follow the story from the book "Somnium". One has to fall asleep to make an investigation of the unknown and untold plots from the avant-garde antecedents. The massive bed dominating the space of Kostka gallery became a portal through which we can see lost graphics from Rudolf's collection. It brings out the missing element from the liquid history of the past.
What is at issue here is not: What are the facts? But rather: How are the facts to be described in order to sanction one mode of explaining them rather than another?
Hayden White
--- Contact and more information:
Piotr Sikora → Curator
+420 776 075 523
piotr.sikora@photomonth.com
Šárka Maroušková → PR Manager
+420 723 706 249
sarka.marouskova@meetfactory.cz
Curator: Piotr Sikora
Opening: 21. 10. 2015, 19:00
Exhibition duration: 21. 10. – 8. 11. 2015
In the "Somnium" exhibition Kuba Woynarowski attempts to find a missing element in the art history, one that could match and connect Renaissance "Constructivism" from Nuremberg with the 20th century avant-garde. Even though it may sound like a fraud or conspiracy theory, Kuba is bending over backwards to make the story as much probable as it gets. One can ask whether it is possible at all. The key to follow his narratives is the very first sci-fi novel written by Johannes Kepler – a well known scientist who was guesting at the court of Rudolf II, back in the days when Prague was a vivid center in the European triangle of black magic in connection with Turin and Toulouse.
Working at Rudolf's court, Kepler was not only focused on his famous telescope but also building a collection of art pieces that remain only a legend. His goal was to gather art that was blindly devoted to geometrical abstraction. It could be considered a simple pattern, which does not follow all of the realistic tendencies taking first place in Renaissance's time. In fact the geometrical non-figurative graphics, sculptures and drawings were based on grid – an ancient tool that came into use for building perspective and gaining precision. Separated from the image, the grid itself turns to be the trigger for new tendencies. At the time of Mannerism it was especially distinctive: renewed ancient ideas started to fall into artistic exaggeration. Instead of using the grid as a way to build an image of reality, artists started to be fascinated with the opportunities for the creation of a new world, utilizing the dimensions and layers this tool gave. The landscapes tend to have geometrical order and are composed of abstract figures. Among these basic shapes we can find a black square - "vera icon" that was to show the biggest mystery of the modern times.
No wonder why when we get back to Rosalind Krauss’ “The originality of the avant-garde”, most of the text will concern the grid. The net of perpendicular lines, a pattern that gave basics for the myths of uniqueness and genius spirit supposedly found in the 20th century Modernism. Krauss uses this motive to show how repetitive the avant-garde could be. If we knew Kepler's collection we would not have doubts about it. Unluckily all of it disappeared from Rudolf's castle, in a fire caused by one of king's alchemical experiments. The heritage and the impact of Nuremberg Constructivism remain forgotten.
Woynarowski builds a straightforward suggestion – to get to know Kepler's collection you should follow the story from the book "Somnium". One has to fall asleep to make an investigation of the unknown and untold plots from the avant-garde antecedents. The massive bed dominating the space of Kostka gallery became a portal through which we can see lost graphics from Rudolf's collection. It brings out the missing element from the liquid history of the past.
What is at issue here is not: What are the facts? But rather: How are the facts to be described in order to sanction one mode of explaining them rather than another?
Hayden White
--- Contact and more information:
Piotr Sikora → Curator
+420 776 075 523
piotr.sikora@photomonth.com
Šárka Maroušková → PR Manager
+420 723 706 249
sarka.marouskova@meetfactory.cz
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