Exhibition “Where Does a Body End”
by Aleksandra Stasiak
mixed media
13.-16. October 2022
Vernissage / art opening • Thursday 13.10 • 6pm (18h)
Opening Hours
Friday • 3-7pm (15-19h)
Saturday & Sunday • 12-5pm (12-17h)
However consciously complex, the human body is a physicochemical object. The human body, flesh, is simply a cluster of atoms. Human voices / words are sound waves that are transmitted through particles of air. Or we affect the world by mechanical changes, like creations of physical objects.
And the opposite. The human body is affected by the surroundings, natural forces or landscapes; be it subtle waves or radiation or mechanical influences. Only through the physicochemical forces that strike the human body, can we sense and feel. In other words – perception, consciousness and psychology do not exist without the body.
In “Where Does A Body End?”, Aleksandra Stasiak ponders the continuity of matter as complex physio-chemical to non-physical interaction. Her mind wanders among the aspects of random facts of existence and the selectivity of matter. From the fascination of dark, void spaces between the matter – to the movements of atoms and their connection to human experiences.
Observing that the human body consists of the same matter as air, nature or mountains, Aleksandra uses ashes and burning processes in her work. Ashes are the simplest form of the beginning of the life-cycle, and also remnants of volcanic activities being one of the reasons for geological landscape formations.
Aleksandra is a chemist with an interdisciplinary background in science, fine art and social sciences. She works through overlapping and merging these fields together, reflecting connection and disconnection to the natural environment. Natural forces, sounds and physicochemical processes occur as the most influential subjects in her practice.
Drawing, three-dimensional installations and non-material formats are her most often used mediums. Burning wood is a substantial process in her process, where she collects and further uses residual charcoal and ashes. This approach has its origin in fire-walk practices. It reflects the impermanent and transformative qualities of nature in balanced natural conditions. It also implies the value of geological structures and non-renewable resources beyond their use as industrial resources.
“Where does a body end?” are the words of American recording artist Michael Gira (Swans, ex-Angels of Light) used in the documentary of the same title. This and Aleksandra’s own fascination with physicochemical phenomena encapsulates her own reflection and work.
Schaeffers Gate 5 