Dominika Olszowy

WANDA WANTON

video / 2015
back wall of the ‘Supersam’ building, Gdańska 7

Dominika Olszowy presents a paradocumentary starring Wanda Wanton, an aspiring artist from Wieliczka, who is a Polish literature teacher by profession. Wanda has a peculiar passion, to which she devotes herself after school hours: the woman loves to destroy, and refers to her acts of vandalism as acts of art, or plain sculptures. Vandalism becomes her philosophy – obliteration engenders a new order, so any act of creation has to be based on the power of destruction.

Wanda Wanton may be regarded as Dominika Olszowy’s alter ego – one may assume that by bringing her to life, the artist gives vent to her socially inacceptable temptations. More importantly, though, the figure of Wanda Wanton looks at the relationship between humans and the surrounding matter, posing a question of whether vandalism may represent an act of freedom, of freeing oneself from the oppressive order imposed by others. In structuring the film’s narrative, the artist not only reaches for legends of the ancient Germanic Vandal tribes, but also refers to the existence of antimatter, which – in collision with matter – results in the annihilation of both.

The location of the screening is not accidental: here we will find equally interesting examples of para-artistic activities, even though their interpretation is contrary to that proposed in the film. The shed in question is where gentlemen of cheerful appearance every day painstakingly order uncontrollable and unowned matter (carton, plastic, everything). Nothing is worthless here.

 

 

Dominika Olszowy (b. 1982)

is a visual artist and performer. She graduated from the University of the Arts in Poznań (Faculty of Intermedia, video studio headed by Prof. Marek Wasilewski). Her works are situated at the intersection of various media, such as video, performance, installation and stage design. Olszowy founded the ephemeral Sandra Gallery. She was one of the initiators of the radical hip-hop group Cipedrapskuad, and is a member and co-founder of the Horsefuckers M.C. moped gang. The artist holds a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Born in Gorzów Wielkopolski, she lives and works in Warsaw.

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Narracje 9

Narracje 9