ðWrocław Congress Center Centennial Hall, from the 30th of June to the 31th of July 2016

The subconscious and intuition against rationalism and conceptualism; privacy and intimacy side by side with universalism and references to history, literature, philosophy and the history of  ideas. Also aesthetic and formal explorations, neo-materialism, echoes of ready made, found objects, plays with scale and space as well as the medium itself, close to para-scientific experiments. The eight artists invited for this project represent a variety of artistic attitudes, individualities and courage in their approaches to the medium, and also go beyond the institutional framework of art.
Scaling, deformation, and the surprising juxtaposition of found objects are characteristic of the series of Capsules by Miłosz Flis. He presents an alternative space, following his intuition and subconscious, avoiding unambiguity.
Michał Frydrych's field of interest is language – as a form, material, system of communication, carrier of meanings, code. He plays with it, getting into its pure matter, depriving it of its basic properties and then giving them back again. In the selected piece, which refers to the short novel by H.P. Lovecraft, he deconstructs language, giving it a brand new form.
The deep symbolism, the references to history and the mysticism of the diptych by Marcelina Gron’ are filtered by events connected with the history of her family. The visual sphere of the canvas is emphasised by the use of scriptures, letters from different alphabets composing an enigmatic cipher, a system of signs and a visual-semantic structure.
Abstract shapes, imposed in order to determine the landform, simplified forms derived from nature, are to be found in the work of Kornel Janczy, whose art falls within the tradition of  post-conceptualism and minimalism. In a concise way, but also with a sense of humour and a kind of sentimentality, Janczy rearranges space. Berenika Kowalska uses templates and ornament
books, which are combined with social and cultural aspects. In the Untitled series, she refers to the psychoanalytic theory of Jacques Lacan, questioning identity, the search for oneself and the formation of the “I”.
Tomasz Poznysz examines the famous Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer in a charming, humourous way. Both the knowledge of the techniques and technologies used and the iconography are used only partially – it is rather a game with the sphere of well-known images. The multimedia installation by Izabela Ł˛eska is an intimate and personal journey into the past. Using multiple found objects, the video-recording of her performance, collages and photographs, Ł˛eska works through her difficult emotional state.
The series of works by Magdalena Sawicka is also a record of the artist’s personal experience. Very intimate, full of a subtle humour and eroticism, a set of drawings brings out what is essential to each human being, but remains embarrassingly hidden.
The participation of Wrocław in the JCE Biennale stems from the need to present the leading and most original works of young Polish artists internationally.
The Polish exhibition, which will be accompanied by an installation by Julia Curyło and Liza Sherzai, will be part of the celebration of the European Capital of Culture in Wrocław in 2016.

Ewa Sułek