Dreamcatcher, the magical amulet being an important element of beliefs of Native North Americans, hung near the bed, was supposed to filter out dreams – allow only the good ones through its fine apertures. This soothing amulet has penetrated into the popular culture and become a fashionable “ethno” accessory, a component of interior design, a decorative motif. Everyone can have it: you just need to enter the word in a web search engine to choose from among the broad offer of colours and models. A dreamcatcher can be also created on your own by buying a “creative kit” or using advice and tutorials available on the Internet. However, nightmares are not the greatest problem of the contemporary human. The scientific advancement has not brought relief and balance to our everyday lives. The constantly growing fear and anxiety are exacerbated by the sense of helplessness. Using the knowledge that is locked in magical objects and rituals, Aleksandra Liput asks herself the questions: what can contemporary talismans look like in the era of technological advancement, 5G networks and other scientific accomplishments? What would a talisman being a neutraliser, a trap for the bad energy that arouses our anxiety, look like? The search for an answer to these questions has led her to create the “Astral Insects Catchers” installation.
Aleksandra Liput – born in Krosno in 1989; graduated from the Faculty of Painting, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (2017), now a doctoral student there. A visual artist who deals with painting, soft sculptures, objects and installations. Her oeuvre handles the issues of fear, intergenerational trauma, ancient rituals and magical objects. Member of DZIDY curator duo. Her works were presented, among others, in the Labyrinth Gallery in Lublin, the Arsenal Gallery in Poznań, the Foksal Gallery Foundation in Warsaw. Finalist of Coming Out – Best Diplomas of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (2017).