01 Feb 2010

dvorak sec contemporary presents Michael Najjar | bionic angel

dvorak sec contemporary is pleased to announce the first solo show of new media artist Michael Najjar in the Czech Republic. On display will be large-scale photographs from the internationally renowned artist's bionic angel series, curated by Olga Dvorak for the Prague gallery space.

Michael Najjar's works explore the impact of advances in (digital) technology on contemporary society. He creates visions and utopias of future social structures in a continuous flux due to the influence of modern technologies.

'The central theme on my art is the telematic society. I deal with the key components of a society driven and controlled by computer and information technology. My works reflect contemporary developments and create visions and utopias of future social structures emerging under the impact of new technologies. Projections of the future render obsolete old modes of perception and activate novel ways of seeing. My utopias stand in a relation of direct or inverse analogy to real social space.'

The photographic series bionic angel investigates the process of transformation and the technological control of human evolution. Rapid developments in the field of so-called 'g-r-i-n-technologies' (genetics, robotics, information and nano-technologies) are not only changing our bodies, minds, memories, and identities, but are also impacting our offspring. These new technologies all share a common aim of enhancing human performance. Prenatal genetic determination enables children to be built to plan. Clone bodies become depositories for ersatz organs whilst manipulation of atomic structure creates new bodies which far outstrip the old ones in terms of robustness, elasticity and durability. Based on genetic algorithms and neuronal networks, these developments essentially mean that biological evolution can now be controlled; they open the door to a new and superior form of existence for the human being.

bionic angel refers to such idealized body worlds from antiquity and the renaissance, drawing inspiration from themes of 'metamorphosis' from classical Greek mythology and the roman poet Ovid. Scenes showing beings in the very midst of transformation of a technology driven metamorphosis, articulate the inevitability of genetic self creation in man's ongoing quest for perfection and immortality.

The exhibition will be on view from February 2 – April 9, 2010. A reception will be held for the artist at the gallery on February 2, from 7 - 10 PM.

Born in 1966, Michael Najjar graduated from the Bildo Akademie für Kunst + Medien in Berlin and since 1997 has devoted himself exclusively to photography and new media art. His works explore the impact of advances in (digital) technology on contemporary society and he creates visions and utopias of future forms of social existence in continual change driven under the influence of new technologies.

Michael Najjar's works have been acquired by leading private collectors and museums including the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, the Internationales Haus der Photographie and the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg, the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin, the Coff-Foundation in Spain and the Sammlung Teutloff in Germany. In January 2010 the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag acquired the work 'netropolis I tokyo' from Michael Najjar's 'netropolis' (2003 – 2006) work series for its permanent collection.

Michael Najjar has exhibited in a number of notable institutions and galleries including the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, the Kunsthalle Hamburg, the Museum für Kunst und Gestaltung in Hamburg, the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin, the Goethe Institute in New York, the Museum Traphold in Denmark, the Danish Design Center in Copenhagen, Joan Miró-Foundation in Barcelona, the Science Museum in London, the National Museum of Science in Taiwan, the Designzentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen in Essen, the Gesellschaft für Technologische Zusammenarbeit in Frankfurt, the Sony Center in Berlin, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, the 9th Biennale in Havanna, the Convergence-Biennale in Beijing, the Noorderlicht Photofestival in the Netherlands, PhotoEspaña in Madrid, ARCO Madrid, DiVa, DFoto, bitforms gallery in New York and Seoul, Galerie Guy Bärtschi, Geneva, Galería Fernando Silió in Santander, Galerie Lutz Teutloff in Cologne, C/O Galerie in Berlin, and the Lehman College Gallery in New York.


For more information or visuals, please contact the gallery via email at info@dvoraksec.com or by phone at +420 777 716 381.