20 Mar 2015

C.T. Jasper and Joanna Malinowska. Relations Disrelations

The joint exhibition of C.T. Jasper and Joanna Malinowska reflects on the inseparability of life and art. It is exemplified by the connection of these two individuals, a pair of artists, and the affinities and differences, which connect and separate their artistic attitudes.
The self-themed narration will take the form of a classic museum retrospective, with a structured presentation of the artist's most important works.
The exhibition will present installation, film, sculpture and art objects. The references made therein to different cultures, ethnic and artistic phenomena are a characteristic feature of both artists' works. The project reflects the time-spatial directions of searches by both Malinowska and C.T. Jasper, which result in the creation of worlds that do not necessarily rely on empirical experience but are a result of speculation, fixed mythologies and canons, as well as abstract thinking. The authors intend for this exhibition to constitute a study on shaping new knowledge by academic research institutions such as museums.
The entire exhibition will display over a dozen years of Joanna Malinowska and C.T. Jasper's work. Works by both artists, who share their life together and pursue their separate artistic careers, will come together in ways that both supplement and contrast each other. Apart from displaying the artists' works in their home country, the exhibition also aims to reflect on the notion of artistic practice.
The self-referential exhibition and museum project utilises the potential of summary afforded by biography, retrospective and the museumisation of works by visual artists. Therefore, methodological problems related to artistic biographies and author mythification, as well as the provision of institutional care for artworks have become major subjects of the exhibition.
The first retrospective exhibition of C.T. Jasper and Joanna Malinowska will coincide with the opening of the Polish Pavilion at the 56th International Art Exhibition, where their work Halka / Haiti: 18°48′05'N 72°23′01'W will be presented. 

Joanna Malinowska graduated from the sculpture departments of Rutgers and Yale universities. Her art oscillates between diverse media – sculpture, video, performance art – where she tackles subjects related to anthropology, culture clash and music. Her works have been displayed at SculptureCenter, Art in General and Postmasters in New York, Saatchi Gallery and Nottingham Contemporary in Great Britain, Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton in Paris, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle and Zachęta National Art Gallery in Warsaw. Malinowska took part in the First Art Biennale in Moscow and the 2012 Whitney Biennial in New York, among other places.

C.T. Jasper splits his life between New York and Ulan Bator. His works oscillate on a threshold of different media, concentrating principally on video-art, film, and electronic-partisan interventions in already existing film works. Jasper's most recent projects include Erased (2013), Sunset of the Pharaohs (2014), Vertigo (2015), and Halka/Haiti. 18°48'05'N 72°23'01'W (2015) in collaboration with Joanna Malinowska. 

Curator: Michał Jachuła

Coordinator: Monika Wesołowska

Graphic design of the invitation and poster: Aleksandra Fedorowicz-Jackowska