Marta szulc, We are only seeking Man

September 16, 2017

Opening: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6pm
15.09. – 03.11.2017

Curator: Katarzyna Krysiak

We are only seeking Man is Marta Szulc’s second individual exhibition at the Foksal Gallery. The exhibition consists of a series of portraits inspired by pop-cultural cinema of the 20th and 21th century which dealt with the subject of artificial intelligence. Portrayed protagonists – machines ask serious questions about the meaning of life, crack ironic jokes, ask for emotional reciprocation – constantly aware of their otherness. The artist is fascinated by the contrast between the emotional content of these words and the fact that they’re uttered by machines. Their words could have been said by anyone – if we only had a chance to meet our creator.

Marta Szulc is asking questions which tackle the subject of transhumanism, a movement supportive of development of science and new technologies (such as nanotechnology, biotechnology or artificial intelligence) for the purpose of improving human physical and intellectual condition. In a fantasy of transgressing biological limits or of creating artificial life or consciousness without God’s contribution, the eternal human dream of controlling life and death is coming true. An idea of creating a machine copy of ourselves, fully subject to the will of its creators, is probably doomed to fail. Such a conscious being could quickly achieve abilities superior to human ones or establish to us goals and values which we wouldn’t be able to understand. The subject of artificial intelligence is raising many questions about its further development and sbout consequences which humanity cannot predict.

Marta Szulc (born in 1980) is a graduate of the Graphics Department of the European Academy of Arts in Warsaw. Her artistic practice is defined by a symbiosis of traditional media (copperplate etching, watercolour) and technology which takes on the role of nature – and becomes a tool, an inspiration, as well as a subject of her works.

Her works have been presented at individual exhibitions – at the Foksal Gallery (2009), XX1 Gallery (2015, 2014) and at group shows, including: The Eagle has landed: Apollo 11-next steps, Ausstellungszentrum Pyramide, Berlin (2017), Inland #1 Erasure, The Brixton Pound, Londyn (2016), Midnight Show, BWA Wrocław (2016), MIEJSCE. Magazyn letni, Galeria Foksal, Warszawa (2016), Malarki, Galeria Biała, Lublin (2015), Bałtycka Galeria Sztuki, Ustka (2006), Słodka sztuka, CSW Łaźnia, Gdańsk (2005).

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