Work by Agnieszka Szostek.
Press release, April 2022
TAK TAK is the second show of the gallery. These words function both in Danish and Polish language. In Danish, they mean “thank you” and express gratitude or politeness whereas in Polish the meaning for “tak” is simple “yes” and “this way”.
The show focuses on the overlapping meanings of these two contexts: humbleness, amenity, acceptance, gratefulness, consent and validation but also their opposites: rejection, abuse, disapproval, misbehavior. All reactions that represent different positions of human and social exchange and mark the balance of power. When disrupted, the inbalance brings aberrations of geopolitical, social and personal sphere. It is the attempt to investigate the two positions from diverse artistic perspectives and find them in dialogue. After all, TAK TAK signals communication could be part of an overheard conversation in at least two languages.
TAK TAK aims to present an array of different artistic approaches towards the subject but also towards communicating with the audience. That is why the concept of the exhibition goes beyond the idea of a white cube presentation. It contains: performances, talks, rituals and workshops open for everyone.
ARTISTS: Angelina Mass (Belarus/Germany), Agnieszka Szczotka (UK/Poland), Agnieszka Szostek (Poland/Germany), Bartek Arobal Kociemba (Denmark/Poland), Barbara Kai Kaniewska (Denmark/Poland) Magda Buczek (Denmark/Poland), Rine Rodin (Demark/Sweden), Thornbjorn Uldam (Germany/Denmark), Vala Foltyn (Denmark/Sweden/Poland), Yuriy Biley (Ukraine), Liliana Zeic (Poland).
Curated by Marta Czyż and Vi Lever Pa Polsk.
Performance program (April 29th)
6.30 pm: Rine Rodin, Baba Yaga.
7.30 pm: Agnieszka Szczotka, The Deceiver.
21 pm: Fire Ritual, VLP (Bartek Arobal Kociemba & Magda Buczek & audience).
VI LEVER PÅ POLSK is an artist-run gallery and platform founded in November 2020 by two Polish visual artists based in Copenhagen: Magda Buczek and Bartek Arobal Kociemba. VI LEVER PÅ POLSK a phrase in Danish refering to the Polish rural emigration that had come to Denmark in the XIX century and could not get legally married in Denmark due to their catholic religion. Therefore to live Polish way means to live without formal marriage. The gallery’s program interprets it as investigating the states outside of the comfort zone and Danish hygge: non-normativity, migration, and otherness. VI LEVER PÅ POLSK presents artists, activists and writers that for different reasons and despite the quality of their work are not represented in the artistic mainstream. The reasons can be for example either long break caused by health issues, parenthood or migration, or the lack of local networking and the command of local language.
Opening: Friday April 29th, 6pm.
Exhibition period: April 29 - May 13, 2022.
Supported by Statens Kunstfond Denmark, Adam Mickiewicz Institute Poland and Kultur(A).