On March 30 the gal­lery will be closed



Janek Simon’s solo show at Awan­garda Gal­lery (BWA Wroc­law) is a sum-​up of his ‘exotic’ art/journey projects – first one in such a large scale – in which the artist tests the critical poten­tial of geo­graphic distan­ces and questions a stric­tly European cul­tural hierar­chy. It features seven dif­ferent projects. e.g. a remake of the well-​known ‘Polish Year on Madagascar’ (2006), but also premieres com­pletely new works like ‘The Incredible Adven­tures of Mr. Seven’ instal­lation that tells a story based on lunatic tales of Indian Mr. Seven and the artist’s own life. ‘Alang Transfer’ is also an after­match of Simon’s latest jour­ney to India – an absurd col­lec­tion of pic­tures and ship placards taken from the famous Alang Ship Breaking Yard. A sculp­tural coun­ter­point of the show is formed by ‘Sculptures from the Museum of Man in Paris Made Based on Oskar Hansen’s and Lech Kunka’s Drawings, Prin­ted on a Homemade 3D Printer’ – a beautiful con­tinuation of an idea introduced ear­lier in Zacheta’s exhibition on Polish artists’ travels in the 50’s. And as an intriguing closure Simon serves us with ‘Alaba Transfer’ (from the col­lec­tion of Museum Sztuki in Lodz) and a trailer for the ‘Ashes & Diamonds in Nollywood’ movie which documents ‘Polish Mis­sion in Auroville’ , a project in which Simon has sent a group of introver­ted Polish artists to an utopian post-​hippie town­ship in South India…

 



Sculptures from the Museum of Man in Paris Made Based on Oskar Hansen's and Lech Kunka's Drawings, Printed on a Homemade 3D Printer, 2014


Sculptures from the Museum of Man in Paris Made Based on Oskar Hansen's and Lech Kunka's Drawings, Printed on a Homemade 3D Printer, 2014


The Incredible Adventures of Mr. Seven, 2014 (installation fragment)


The Incredible Adventures of Mr. Seven, 2014 (installation fragment)


Ashes & Diamonds in Nollywood, poster, 2014


Alang Transfer, 2014 (installation fragment)


Alang Transfer, 2014 (installation fragment)


Polish Year on Madagascar, 2006-2014 (installation fragment)

Collected journeys by Janek Simon

Janek Simon "Journeys to the East and to the South"

 

BWA Wroclaw, Awangarda Gallery, 7.03.-6.04.2014

 

Phot. Justyna Fedec, courtesy of BWA Wroclaw