Blindly is the second exhibition in the series Videozone and will present works by Artur Żmijewski. The Polish artist and curator of the 7th Berline Biennale 2012, creates situations that break social norms and taboos and thereby provoke controversial reactions.
The show will present three videos and one audio work that confront us with the otherness of people who have certain disabilities. Blindly (2010) observes blind people who fail at the attempt of painting, Singing Lesson 2 (2003) shows deaf people trying to sing-situations that question our usual understanding of perception and turn into a battle ground of social conflicts. Though sometimes emotionally touching, his works make us aware of the fact that concern and compassion actually serve to maintain barriers. In fact people only become disabled by the reactions from society. “True acceptance of the other is really hard.” (Żmijewski)
As part of the Research project Videoarchive funded by the Volkwagen Foundation, Videozone regularly features current trends in contemporary video art. Blindly is part of the Polish/North Rhine-Westphalian cooperation project Klopsztanga. Polen grenzenlos NRW initiated by Kultursekretariat NRW.
Curated by Miriam Lowack and Holger Otten
Images: Artur Żmijewski, Blindly, video, 2010, videostill, vourtesy Foksal Gallery Foundation, Warsaw (top); Artur Żmijewski, Singing Lesson 2, video, 2003, videostill, courtesy Foksal Gallery Foundation, Warsaw (buttom).
