Collection

The sculpture is the result of a collaboration commenced as part of the “Tribute to Academy” (2013) project initiated by Paweł Althamer and Artur Zmijewski. Both artists are known for their community-type projects, which transcend the traditional criteria of the ownership of art and cohesion of the media in lieu of activities which, if only for a moment, help create a community. The artists attract different social circles to participate in their projects, and treat their artistic talents as a mere tool which facilitates the processes of mediation.

The “Tribute to Academy” workshop was a project in which the artists challenged the school of arts where traditional skills are still cultivated and where, except for minor exceptions, there is no place for the radical ideas that have transformed contemporary art. Their aim was, at the same time, to show the traditional work mode of the artist, emphasising the tedious process rather than the final product. The presented sculpture is a joint collaboration of the artists and their colleague from the times of the academy of fine arts, Roman Stańczak, as well as their teacher from the freshman year, Gustaw Zemła (born 1931 in Jasienica Rosielna). It was the confrontation with their pedagogue, who was an advocate of the traditional understanding of sculpture and the author of many official monuments, which is interesting here. There is also a film which documents both the process of creating the object but also of the encounter with the diverse artistic attitudes.