Bartek Górny
Born 1986 in Krakow. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. Presented his graduation project in 2011 at Professor Zbigniew Bajek’s 1st Interdisciplinary Studio. Although he studied painting, which he regards as a special and fundamental medium, he also works with sculpture, installation, video and sound.
Winner of the contest for a poster promoting Maciej Wojtyszko’s play On Delight (2010) and recipient of a honourable mention in the Contest for a Work of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow (2011). Finalist in the PROMOCJE 2012 contest, Legnica Gallery. Finalist in the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Pain- ting Biennale Bielska Jesień (2013, 2015, 2017). Finalist in the TTT Open Call contest at the Wrocław Triennale of Drawing (2016).
BARTEK GÓRNY
VASES 2018
2019 / installation, 40 objects, performative action
The vase painting of the ancient Greece provides us with knowledge about the everyday, military and spiritual life of the Greeks of that time. Apart from their beautifully built bodies, the depicted characters represent a strong moral attitude, i.e. valour, composure and fairness, which constitutes the ideal of the Greek idea of kalokagathia. Vases 2018 are their contemporary counterpart. Produced industrially of plastic, quickly and in large quantities*. They used to serve for storing dietary supplements. Highly-processed products composed of proteins, vitamins and synthetic chemical compounds. Empty vases of such products were decorated with graphic illustrations of the most important global events of 2018.
The objects created were confronted with a diametrically different action by the artist. He covered the distance between his home and Venice riding a bi- cycle. Instead of getting information from the Internet, the world is experienced directly. Instead of moving quickly from one point to the other, the pace drops definitely and the journey turns into a personal pilgrimage to the most important spot on the global art map of the time. The effort of riding a bicycle, and its positive influence on the body are combined with the message to care for the natural environment by reducing the CO2 emission, which nowadays can be regarded as an act of moral priority.