"I Came to Find You, but You Weren't at Home" - exhibition by Joanna Trzcińska
4 April - 25 May 2025
Gallery of Contemporary Art BWA SOKÓŁ
vernissage:
4 April 2025, hour 18:00
Additional information:
The artist about the exhibition:
‘I Came to See You, But You Weren’t at Home” is the title of a short story by Antonio Tebucchi. I don't remember how I came across this story, but its content and title have been etched on my memory. Now the title has come back to me, and I feel that it fits perfectly with the set of works that we present.
Since much of my recent work has been classic ready-mades, that is, pieces created from ready-made objects produced by others, I will also use a ready-made text - a quote from Antonio Tebucchi's literary sketch “The Praise of Literature”. In the quoted fragment I ask you to replace the implied subject of “literature” with “art”:
"[Literature] resembles how a child plays. It’s terribly serious. For when a child is at play, everything becomes its object. When evening falls, he or she picks up a pebble and sits down on the front steps of their house, and with that pebble in hand says that it is the world. Let me emphasize this: the child doesn't just think it, he/she says it. Only when these words are uttered, the spell is cast and magically, the pebble does become the world: that is a sine qua non. The child knows that if the pebble were to fall to the ground, the world would perish, the universe would disintegrate, the stars would go mad and chaos would ensue. He knows that as long as play continues, he has the fate of the world in his hands. Until his father stands in the doorway and smiles, dinner is ready, time to go back in."
(...)
The entire text available in the exhibition catalogue.
‘I Came to See You, But You Weren’t at Home” is the title of a short story by Antonio Tebucchi. I don't remember how I came across this story, but its content and title have been etched on my memory. Now the title has come back to me, and I feel that it fits perfectly with the set of works that we present.
Since much of my recent work has been classic ready-mades, that is, pieces created from ready-made objects produced by others, I will also use a ready-made text - a quote from Antonio Tebucchi's literary sketch “The Praise of Literature”. In the quoted fragment I ask you to replace the implied subject of “literature” with “art”:
"[Literature] resembles how a child plays. It’s terribly serious. For when a child is at play, everything becomes its object. When evening falls, he or she picks up a pebble and sits down on the front steps of their house, and with that pebble in hand says that it is the world. Let me emphasize this: the child doesn't just think it, he/she says it. Only when these words are uttered, the spell is cast and magically, the pebble does become the world: that is a sine qua non. The child knows that if the pebble were to fall to the ground, the world would perish, the universe would disintegrate, the stars would go mad and chaos would ensue. He knows that as long as play continues, he has the fate of the world in his hands. Until his father stands in the doorway and smiles, dinner is ready, time to go back in."
(...)
The entire text available in the exhibition catalogue.
A solo exhibition by Joanna Trzcinska featuring her graphic works, paintings and objects.
Joanna Trzcińska, 1968. Visual artist.
The artist has presented her works in many group and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally, including in Germany, Spain, Austria, France, Sweden, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Croatia, Turkey, Israel, India, China, Japan and the United States.
Having earned a doctorate and the post-doctoral degree of habilitation, she heads the Studio of Painting Expression at the Department of Painting and Drawing of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poland.
She has been recognized for her academic work, receiving the Decoration of Honour “Meritorious for Polish Culture.'
(t/r AK)
The artist has presented her works in many group and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally, including in Germany, Spain, Austria, France, Sweden, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Croatia, Turkey, Israel, India, China, Japan and the United States.
Having earned a doctorate and the post-doctoral degree of habilitation, she heads the Studio of Painting Expression at the Department of Painting and Drawing of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poland.
She has been recognized for her academic work, receiving the Decoration of Honour “Meritorious for Polish Culture.'
(t/r AK)
The artist about the exhibition:
“I came to see you, but you weren’t at home” is a title of a short story by Antonio Tabucchi. I don’t remember how I came across this story, but its content and title are deeply rooted in my memory. Today the title came to me and I have an impression that it fits perfectly the presented set of works.
Since a large part of my recent works are classical ready-made ones, that is works based on ready elements made by others, I will quote a (ready-made) text from Antonio Tabucchi’s essay “Praise of Literature”. In the quoted fragment the implied subject of “literature” could be replaced with “art”.
[Literature] resembles a child’s play. A deadly serious one. When a child plays, everything becomes an object of that play. When the evening comes, the child takes a pebble, sits down on the steps in front of the house, holds the pebble in hand and claims it is the whole world. Let me emphasize it: the child not only thinks so, but says so. Only when these words are uttered, the magic begins to work and the pebble does become the world: this is a sine qua non condition. The child knows that if the pebble fell on the ground, the world would be destroyed, universe would be degraded, starts would go mad and chaos would settle in. The child knows that as long as the play lasts, he or she has the fate of the whole world in their hands. Until the moment when the father comes smiling, the dinner is ready, it is time to go home”.
The entire text is available in the exhibition catalogue.
Since a large part of my recent works are classical ready-made ones, that is works based on ready elements made by others, I will quote a (ready-made) text from Antonio Tabucchi’s essay “Praise of Literature”. In the quoted fragment the implied subject of “literature” could be replaced with “art”.
[Literature] resembles a child’s play. A deadly serious one. When a child plays, everything becomes an object of that play. When the evening comes, the child takes a pebble, sits down on the steps in front of the house, holds the pebble in hand and claims it is the whole world. Let me emphasize it: the child not only thinks so, but says so. Only when these words are uttered, the magic begins to work and the pebble does become the world: this is a sine qua non condition. The child knows that if the pebble fell on the ground, the world would be destroyed, universe would be degraded, starts would go mad and chaos would settle in. The child knows that as long as the play lasts, he or she has the fate of the whole world in their hands. Until the moment when the father comes smiling, the dinner is ready, it is time to go home”.
The entire text is available in the exhibition catalogue.
