Artsts: Wiktoria Walendzik, Konrad Żukowski
Curator: Gabriela Warzycka-Tutak
“Mirror, Mirror, one the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
(Brothers Grimm, Snow White)
Imagine a utopia with a mirror floor. An overgrown snow hybrid, covered with snakes, is waiting to take you on a triumphal cruise. You sit back comfortably, the world’s most precious gemstones flicker from the white walls, whispering various stories to you. Shine bright like a diamond?
This mirror fairy tale generates an illusion that creates new meanings and a new mankind. Tensions looms from underneath the cover of glitter and wealth. The god of fire* wakes up to life, giving birth to subsequent stars.
In the land of milk and honey you decide about everything. The surface in which you freely look at your own reflection mirrors the world around, the people, the events that form part of the illusion generated specifically for you. A bluff based on simple rules, in which every member of the audience takes part. You can decide if what you see is your reward or if you will pursue it on your own terms. After mooring at the shore, the games keeps on going without a break. The finale will feature the daredevil who does not struggle with disembarkment syndrome*.
Let’s Make a Deal is a variation on the theme of dreams of divinity, triumph and success. It is a metaphor for the aspirations of the artworld. The gallery space – as a temple of possession, an elitist place, shiny, non-functional, manifesting an appalling lavishness and Baroque appeal – stands in contrast to everyday life. Promises from the world of dreams swirl in the excess of possibilities, and it is only up to you if you manage to reach them.
The Gdańsk City Gallery presents the first joint exhibition by two distinctive personalities: Wiktoria Walendzik and Konrad Żukowski. The show is accompanied by a competition organised by the artists: Instant Egypt, in which the main prize is a holiday in Egypt, the land of pharaohs and mysterious pyramids.
“Dreams do come true / Just think about them always / Everything you want / Can happen within days!” (Majka Jeżowska, Marzenia się spełniają)
*Vulcan (Lat. Vulcanus)
*MDD Syndrome (mal de débarquement) – a condition occurring after a cruise
Konrad Żukowski
Born in 1995, active in the fields of painting, installation and video. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow at the studio of Professor Andrzej Bednarczyk. Studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Main motifs of his works include human bodies and topics derived from popular culture. Participant of group and individual exhibitions at the Jak zapomnieć Gallery in Krakow, Serce człowieka Gallery in Warsaw, Grey House Foundation in Krakow, Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Art Roundabout in Katowice, BWA Bielska Gallery in Bielsko-Biała, CCA Łaźnia in Gdańsk, among other venues.
Wiktoria Walendzik
Born in 1994, creates installations, objects and drawings. In 2018, Walendzik defended her Bachelor’s diploma with distinction in multimedia at the studio of Professor Kamil Kuskowski. She is currently an MFA student at the Academy of Arts in Szczecin. Shortlisted in the contests Project Room 2019 at the CCA Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw and Hestia Artistic Journey. Participant of group exhibitions at the BWA Warszawa, Szara Gallery in Katowice, Polish Institute in Berlin, among other venues.