Artons (1958-1963)
"Objects created by Włodzimierz Borowski in 1958-1963. The artist explained the term as deriving from 'organic art', abbereviated as 'art-on'. The objects were to emerge parallel with, and independent of, creations of nature, and their autonomy was to be like that of live organisms. 'Arton A' and 'Arton B', 1958 - concrete material objects present at our side rather than attaches to the wall, were rings with small bulbs installed inside, which pulsated with light when plugged in. Fixed behind the objects were a small engine and a special plate to programme the rythm of light. The next group of artons, 1961-1963, had a characteristic 'organic' quality. Three-dimensional constructions reminiscent of coral reefs, they were built of all sorts of plastic bowls and perforated saucers thus processed at high temperature that one was barely aware of their manmade origin and their original function. Some of the organic "artons" emitted a smell; the operation of some others engaged chance. In his 1963 artons, Borowski brought out a sham organic quality of his earlier group of objects by disclosing their structure as plastic bowls, saucers and cables. Artons should be considered as a counterproposal to the very concept of a work of art, and to academic art. By no means do they fit in with a value system based on aesthetic criteria which are a priori ignored. The artistic fact gradually shifts beyond material objects, and the communication it sends acquires a superior value"
(Luiza Nader, Glossary, [in:] The Zamek Group. Lublin 1956-1960. The Experience of Structures; Włodzimierz Borowski. Metamorphoses, Łódź 2002)
