Odessa Photo Days – Invogue Art Gallery, Odessa (Ukraine): 17.04–12.05.2019
Dymchuk Gallery, Kiev (Ukraine): 25.07–18.08.2019
Tbilisi Photo Festival – G. Leonidze Literature Museum, Tbilisi (Georgia): 15.09–21.09.2019
CONFUSION consists of the works from the ‘Traces’ (2015–2018) and ‘Collection’ (2018–2019) series
Seeing people in the photographs smile, we smile. We are convinced that the presented situation is an idyllic family portrait. Only after a moment we begin to realize that the picture is not what it seemed a second ago. Was it ever like we thought it to be at first? Before the artist started tempering with it? Weronika Gęsicka gathers American photography from the 1950s and 1960s. Especially those featuring happy families, couples in love, funny and cheerful party mates. Probably the vast majority of these scenes were staged to confirm everything we know about the American myth according to which all goes smoothly, there are perfect families and relationships at hand. Weronika Gęsicka creates confusion when she begins digitally processing the material she has. She casts doubt on the presented scenes to ask us – the viewers – about family relationships (or their absence), identity, loneliness and personal needs. In her works we see the world and ourselves as in a crooked mirror.
The kaleidoscope of wonderful scenes is complemented by some of the objects from the ‘Collection’ series. Everyday items embodied by Gęsicka originate from her personal experiences and memories. For the viewer, however, they are impersonal. In this sense they become universal and – as a result – able to represent different stereotypes, phobias, fears and fetishes.
One can not look at the works of Weronika Gęsicka dispassionately. We smile again. The artist amuses the viewers – us – with her visual efficiency, so her extremely accurate photomontage skills and carefully processed objects. We are to set ourselves in her story.
The exhibition is curated by: Maga Ćwieluch and Katarzyna Sagatowska.
Weronika Gęsicka, Untitled #39 from the ‘Traces’ (2015–2018) series