art project questioning reoccurrence and ritual as a distraction to the uncertainties of tomorrow
Author: pavszymanskiart
Current research issue - Hypnotic Repetition
Pav Szymanski
Painter
Biography:
I am a fine art painter and video artist with 30 years of experience. My current research project is based on creating visual responses to my observations of people, who are suspended in the vacuum of hypnotic repetition. I have travelled the world interviewing and recording individuals, who genuinely struggle with their existence in the context of their survival. I have gathered substantial primary sources and evidence from destinations across the globe. Perhaps, the most significant research findings were from Haiti and Myanmar and resulted in the production of the most spectacular paintings. They have inspired me to develop new and innovative ways of working and experimenting with image making, which are appropriate to the subject. They combine the best of traditional achievements and the power of contemporary thinking and deep reflection.
I work full time as a programme coordinator for Art & Design at a large institution offering a broad range of FE and HE qualifications. I am also an external examiner for the UAL and AQA.
Artist Statement:
Through my projects I feel that I discover my inner fears, longings and re-evaluate my uncertainties. My work seems to be an attempt to explore and question by metaphorical presentation my response to the hidden truths of the world. The essence of the value of these works is in their inherent meaning and an atmosphere, which manifests itself in the dusk of the space portrayed, thus the light may appear, where the hue of colour fulfils clarity and sounds with harmonious melody.
https://hypnoticrepetition.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOq7lHQlrOnKozGz95Hq2CA?view_as=subscriber
https://www.instagram.com/pavszymanski/?hl=en
https://spark.adobe.com/page/fQ9VytzHNpWq9/
A group visit to the Saatchi Gallery, Whitecube Bermondsey, the Tate Modern and Blavatnik Building. Friday, 15th Match 2019.
i was particularly inspired by painfully honest documentary videos by Tracey Emin. The Tate Modern together with the new extension were also reinformed, had a new direction and we’re full of creative energy.
The Saatchi presented a range of young artists and their painterly Largs scale collages. The lower gallery was dedicated to a performance piece titled Kaleidoscope.
Overall, I feel, I have fully benefited from a long day packed with amazing viewing experiences. Now, it is time for a deep reflection on the process of learning and my growing ability to embrace different ways of visualising complex problems and contemporary dilemmas.
Please, watch the final version of my video below. The initial black screen is intentional and there is supporting sound throughout. Thanks.
My project is an attempt to create a metaphorical and exploratory portrayal of people, who are trapped in the state of waiting. This ‘suspension’ is usually associated with a bizarre uncertainty and developed by a range of discrepancies between what is expected, desired, anticipated and what actually happens. In essence, it is about HOPE!
The unpredictable character of life and its uncertain quality make our existence very delicate and fragile. Our anxieties can be camouflaged by money, entertainment and other temporary disruptions. However, waiting in the context of uncertainties of tomorrow is the foundation of what I am trying to explore and visualise in a series of painterly interpretations.
The complexity of the element of questioning in the project was increased by my experiences and observations in Haiti. I recorded memories of desperate people, who waited for something to happen, not really knowing, who and what they were actually waiting for. Waiting therefore, has become a form of being while suspended in vacuum – a contemporary manifestation of our existence.
It also reinforces the universal value of critical analysis of the phenomenon of waiting, which is critiqued, discussed and conveyed in the ‘Theatre of Absurd’ novel titled “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett.
“(Vladimir) Why are we here, that is the question? And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear. We are waiting for Godot to come. …We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment.”
Individual presentations in a group of 4 students and tutor.
I presented a prepared earlier mid-year review video. This was supported by a background commentary to enhance the overall level of understanding of my creative intentions. The piece is designed to start with a black screen to communicate ideas of waiting and anticipation with a note of controversy. This is followed by a recording of a group of art students waiting in their studio environment for an inspiration. They are all saturated in boredom and appear to be almost hypnotised by this stagnant state.
The next part of the presentation included a stop frame animation of a survey of my students depicting their most precious dreams, aspirations and desires.
The final part of the video was made of a collage of still and moving images of my recent work and experiments, which I have developed so far.
The response from group was generally positive and supportive. I was asked a number of exploratory questions about the context of my research journey and experimentation. We have had an in-depth discussion trying to analyse the concept of my project and discuss a number of possible alternative directions.
My key reflections are as follows:
waiting is counterproductive
waiting can mean wishing your life away
personal perceptions of time differ and depend on circumstances
waiting frequently occurs because of external pressures
my work is developed simultaneously. Individual pieces are metaphorically and physically waiting for the next stage of the creative process. This is recorded by a photo below:
I discussed my reflections on Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”. It was also recommended for me to read his other novel titled “End Game”.
My rough notes taken during the tutorial are below:
It was an extremely busy day spent exploring a range of hard to find galleries. The exhibition spaces were mainly dedicated to digital, Hi-Tec, interactive art and media projections.
The first experience was an introduction to an art community and their developing ceramic studio located at Rochester Square 1. This is an ongoing project of transformation of a derelict garden centre into a space for celebrating art as well as a physical ceramic workshop, which is opened to the public.
The next visit was a viewing of digital prints by Aaron Sheer at the Annka Kultys Gallery. He manipulates compositions of onscreen software windows to create bizzare overlays of individual virtual collages. These are either printed as screens or developed further towards large scale digital painitngs.
I was particularly impressed by an exhibition in a brand new arebyte Gallery located relatively close to the London City airport. The exhibition was titled Re – Figure – Ground. The work on display was a visual appraisal of issues affecting our lives and existence in the context of the contemporary world, ranging from obesity and loneliness to self image and human interaction. I had a lot of fun exploring a new to me type of VR experience within the context of fine art communication.
The tour was initiated by the viewing of David Troostwyk’s exhibition at the Camberwell Space at the college. Following a briefing and an introduction by the curator, we had a chance to explore and investigate individual pieces on display.
We have also walked through Camberwell and viewed two additional galleries: Assembly Point and Picnic Gallery, which is a part of South London Gallery.
The day was inspirational. I especially enjoyed talking to two young performance artists. Both have just completed their MFA courses, at the Royal Academy and Goldsmiths. The essence of their work was to create an art making community on a mattress of the floor in the middle of the gallery. This unique spaces formed countless opportunities for reflections and discussions with guests and visitors.
I asked Ben, a fellow student, to show me how to create a 3D scan of my head. He was very helpful and informative. Subsequently, I was given instructions how to open an object file in Photoshop and manipulate the scan further.
The three images below show the three different angles of my face. I exported them as jpegs to be able to include them in my blog.
HYPNOTIC REPETITION 