Photo © Dorotka Kaczmarek
Conceptual - NOMINEE: Dorotka Kaczmarek
All That We See or Seem (is but a dream within a dream)
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Since 2015 I work on a project called "What We See or Seem”, inspired by the writing of Jorge Luis Borges, especially his short speculative fiction story "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" about alternative worlds. Their rules are built on the assumptions that are fairly irrational and upside-down comparing to our paradigm. On these planets perception is the primary tool of experiencing the reality, common sense is seen as heresy and instead of the truth, the inhabitants are just looking for some kind of amazement.
Borges’ approach is based strongly on philosophical system developed by George Berkley called empirical idealism. It’s main claim is that only minds and mental contents exist, and to be - is to be perceived. What interested me in this conclusion is that it seems binding for me also in photography. Seeing something equals not seeing something else; when one thing jells, the other disappears. Photography, similarly, is all about choosing one thing over another, and making it a subject. This distinction makes something truly alive and visible, confirming in a way it’s existence.
Inspired by Berkley’s philosophy and Borges’ writings, project “What We See or Seem” is an attempt to visualy describe the sensual cognition, understood as a multilevelled, constantly changing process. It also reflects the haunting feeling of being constantly overwhelmed, restless and disorientated by the paradigm of “post-everything” in an era of abundance.
About author:
Born in 1990, lives and works in Warsaw, Poland. She graduated in art history from the University of Warsaw and from the Academy of Photography in Warsaw. In her works she tests the possibilities of the photographic medium, mostly using digital manipulation. She’s interested in a relationship between the act of creation and reception of images. Laureate of ShowOFF section at Cracow Photomonth 2015.
Exhibitions
2017
• SO WHAT, Doomed Gallery Dalston, London, UK, group show
2016
• A Proces 2.0 curated by Der Greif, Festival Cente of Cracow Photomonth, PL, group show
• SO WHAT, i! gallery, Cracow, PL, group show
• Metasobota, Henryk Gallery, Cracow, PL, solo show (with Kamil #2)
• Supersobota, Różnia Gallery, Warsaw, PL, solo show (with Kamil #2)
• Salon of New Photography, Raster Gallery, Warsaw, PL, group show
• #memory_archive exhibition, Photobook Melbourne, AU, group show
2015
• All That We See or Seem, Show OFF Section, Cracow Photomonth, PL, solo show
• FRESH FROM POLAND Kraków Takeover, Kraków Fringe Festival, Cracow, PL, group show
• Postinternet is Dead, Fisher Gallery, Oberin, Ohio, US, group show
• Mt. Figure @ Unseen, Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam, NL, group show & publication
• Exquisite Corpse of Polish Photography, TIFF Festival 2015, Wroclaw, PL, group show
2014
• GummoPhotos: UN/REAL, Fotofestival, Łódź, PL, group show
• Orange Peel, Art & Fashion Festival, Poznań, PL, group show & publication
• GummoPhotos in Pauza, Pauza, Cracow, PL, group show
2013
• Final exhibition of Academy of Photography students, DAP Gallery, Warsaw, PL, group show
Workshops
2014
• Art Direction & Styling with Amandą Ringstad, Art & Fashion Festival 2014, Poznan, PL
Publications
KINK, F-Stop Magazine , PRISM PHOTO, Hidden Photo Project, Humble Arts Foundation, Sezon, FRESH FROM POLAND, Melba, Wandering Bears, Der Greif, YET Magazine, MAGENTA MAG, Hearty, Melba, FRESH, Shoutout, Design Scene, Hearty
Borges’ approach is based strongly on philosophical system developed by George Berkley called empirical idealism. It’s main claim is that only minds and mental contents exist, and to be - is to be perceived. What interested me in this conclusion is that it seems binding for me also in photography. Seeing something equals not seeing something else; when one thing jells, the other disappears. Photography, similarly, is all about choosing one thing over another, and making it a subject. This distinction makes something truly alive and visible, confirming in a way it’s existence.
Inspired by Berkley’s philosophy and Borges’ writings, project “What We See or Seem” is an attempt to visualy describe the sensual cognition, understood as a multilevelled, constantly changing process. It also reflects the haunting feeling of being constantly overwhelmed, restless and disorientated by the paradigm of “post-everything” in an era of abundance.
About author:
Born in 1990, lives and works in Warsaw, Poland. She graduated in art history from the University of Warsaw and from the Academy of Photography in Warsaw. In her works she tests the possibilities of the photographic medium, mostly using digital manipulation. She’s interested in a relationship between the act of creation and reception of images. Laureate of ShowOFF section at Cracow Photomonth 2015.
Exhibitions
2017
• SO WHAT, Doomed Gallery Dalston, London, UK, group show
2016
• A Proces 2.0 curated by Der Greif, Festival Cente of Cracow Photomonth, PL, group show
• SO WHAT, i! gallery, Cracow, PL, group show
• Metasobota, Henryk Gallery, Cracow, PL, solo show (with Kamil #2)
• Supersobota, Różnia Gallery, Warsaw, PL, solo show (with Kamil #2)
• Salon of New Photography, Raster Gallery, Warsaw, PL, group show
• #memory_archive exhibition, Photobook Melbourne, AU, group show
2015
• All That We See or Seem, Show OFF Section, Cracow Photomonth, PL, solo show
• FRESH FROM POLAND Kraków Takeover, Kraków Fringe Festival, Cracow, PL, group show
• Postinternet is Dead, Fisher Gallery, Oberin, Ohio, US, group show
• Mt. Figure @ Unseen, Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam, NL, group show & publication
• Exquisite Corpse of Polish Photography, TIFF Festival 2015, Wroclaw, PL, group show
2014
• GummoPhotos: UN/REAL, Fotofestival, Łódź, PL, group show
• Orange Peel, Art & Fashion Festival, Poznań, PL, group show & publication
• GummoPhotos in Pauza, Pauza, Cracow, PL, group show
2013
• Final exhibition of Academy of Photography students, DAP Gallery, Warsaw, PL, group show
Workshops
2014
• Art Direction & Styling with Amandą Ringstad, Art & Fashion Festival 2014, Poznan, PL
Publications
KINK, F-Stop Magazine , PRISM PHOTO, Hidden Photo Project, Humble Arts Foundation, Sezon, FRESH FROM POLAND, Melba, Wandering Bears, Der Greif, YET Magazine, MAGENTA MAG, Hearty, Melba, FRESH, Shoutout, Design Scene, Hearty