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In the Interstices of Postmodernity

During an entire day at the 19th of January 2011 all involved partners in project Art Line meet together in group for the very first time on board the Stena Line Ferry while it was trafficing the route between Karlskrona and Gdansk. Project leader Torun Ekstrand informed all present about the plans for project Art Line; it´s aims, goals and structure. More about this kick-off workshop can be found here. At the end of the day three inspirational lectures were held, one which was by the Polish artist Mateusz Pęk.

When the loudspeakers in the conference room on board the Stena Line ferry hosting all Art Line participants loudly explained that the ferry will soon reach the harbour of Gdynia, Mateusz Pęk was just rounding up his lecture. During about an hour he had shown slides and told all present about parts of his artwork.

A primary concern for Pęk in his work is the investigation of postmodernity, of how modern, digital technology conditions the (post)modern man and/or woman. He is one of the first artists in Poland to search through online platforms, chat rooms as well as conducting investigations of computer games in trying to discern the effect  of postmodern, technological human conditioning.
In short- how has modern technology changed man?

In his work he makes use of the tension that arises between the two qualities of the human and the mechanic, the tangible and the virtual, the organic and the artificial. This tension can be said to date back to the duality of the mind and the body that was brought forth by the french philosopher Rene Descartes, or -to be more precise- can be said to be an extension of this notion of duality; now shifting emphasis from the mind/body duality to the duality of organic/artifical. Modern technology is as much a separate entity from the human body as an extension of it. By the click of a computer-keyboard button the human body can be said to -somewhat lyrically- prolong its finger to reach around the world. At the same time, though, the materiality of the human being is separate from the materiality of the computer-technology. This tension, this state of being both part of and separate, is the focus of Pęks work; a focus he doesn´t choose to express directly in his work but rather employs as a method. He operates within the tension of the organic and the artifical, in the interstice, which results in artifacts implicity relating this tension to the beholder.

To get to Mateusz Pęks website click here.

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

© Mateusz Pęk

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