![\"Foto-Medium-Art\"](\"https:\/\/ownetic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/fma-foto-medium-art-logotype-1400x700.png\")
<\/p>\nEverything flows. Infuses one into another. Filters each other. Merges and standardizes. Interprets and reinterprets. Boasts reproduction to be the original. Loses distance toward oneself and the world.<\/p>\n
The Planet of media \u2013 self-referential, self-sufficient and selfish. This is McLuhan\u2019s era. This is globalization of self-transmission. This is locking oneself in the flickering, inconsistent and mosaic sphere.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Such a condensation of informational welter leads with time to an eruption. As a result, the borders of the medial planet fall apart. The red heated \u201ccool\u201d matter (McLuhan\u2019s \u201cmedium-cool\u201d) abruptly explodes, struggling toward the distant space \u2013 toward the re-medial galaxy, unimaginably distant from the \u201cGutenberg\u2019s galaxy\u201d; toward the galaxy of the achieved virtual horizon whose arrival had been announced by Baudrillard, Derrida, Lem\u2026<\/p>\n
x x x<\/p>\n
\u201cOur art stems from the tradition of Constructivism, Unism, Minimal-art and Conceptualism sourcing both from the experience of art which mostly seeks the incessant renewal of form and achievements of conceptual art, which places purely intellectual speculations above the sensual experience. We treat both approaches \u2013 formalistic and conceptual, i.e. objective and subjective as well as practical and theoretical \u2013 as inseparable components of m e d i a a r t that integrates forms and concepts, whose mutual relations and also disturbances constitute an ever changing act of communication, art, allowing to view those elements which are both in mutual opposition and yet supplement each other as identical categories. This is possible when the traditionally understood form, which is the very shape of an artistic message gets replaced with a para-form or a meta-form, more precisely the form which is created in interaction between the existing form and viewer\u2019s imagination, hence, a form of a higher order that surpasses the form itself, i.e. its autonomous morphology that becomes a mental formation, aphormic in nature. Content viewed as an autonomous category seems less important than \u201ccontent\u201d arising from the form, i.e. disclosed by the very shape and manner of delivering the visual communication. The form which decides about the way of interpreting the communication. The form being content \u2013 as in the case of media, this is a type of a transmitter. At the same time, however, we consider the medium and message it conveys \u2013 from the art\u2019s perspective \u2013 to be complementary elements of p o s s i b l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n; the clear and explicit definition of those elements is equally impossible as precise separation of the creative act in progress from its formalization, i.e. setting a border between the still fresh idea and its verbalized form, which gives start to its specific materializations. In our work we focus primarily on creating \u2013 necessary and yet sufficient \u2013 conditions to make art from non-art. We want to bring into being self-signals whose essence is not contained in the very matter of an artwork but goes beyond it suggesting with its aesthetic form the expected perception which consists in complementing and expanding something that was merely signalled with a minimized trace. In this way, we provoke an individual generation of a possible communication outside the known code used so far which is to release in viewers the habit of independent response to each signal they receive.<\/em><\/p>\n We consider this to be the main value of art-medium; art understood as medium communicating about itself \u2013in an ongoing creation and renewal. Art that changes the perception of the world and revises the existing methods of communicating with it. Art that liberates the need of fresh perception and independence of thinking, with time moving into other areas of human creativity\u201d. <\/em><\/p>\n This is a fragment of a manifesto signed by me and attendees of the Photo-Medium-Art Seminar. It was our contribution to the discussion at the conference called \u201cArt as Art Medium\u201d, which I organized in Domek Roma\u0144ski (Roman House) on 14-16.04.1981. It was attended, amongst others, by Jan Berdyszak, Janusz Bogucki, Jan Chwa\u0142czyk, Urszula Czartoryska, Zbigniew D\u0142ubak, Zdzis\u0142aw Jurkiewicz, Bo\u017cena Kowalska, Andrzej Lachowicz, Jerzy Ludwi\u0144ski, Jerzy Lukierski, J\u00f3zef Robakowski, Zbigniew Staniewski, Grzegorz Sztabi\u0144ski, Ryszard Winiarski and Jan S. Wojciechowski. At the same time, it was a culminating point of the medialism promoted by \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d Gallery \u2013 the time, which witnessed the predominance of exhibitions by not so much photographers as multimedia artists who simply use photography in their art.<\/p>\n The formal change in the name from Wroc\u0142awska Galeria Fotografii (Wroc\u0142aw Photography Gallery) to Galeria \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d<\/strong> (\u201cFoto-Medium-Art Gallery) took place on 17 October 1978. It was preceded by a series of discussions at \u201cPhoto-Medium-Art\u201d Forums held under the following titles: \u201cPhotography as Photography\u201d, \u201cPhotography as Relation\u201d, \u201cPhotography as Material\u201d, \u201cPhotography as a Tool, Video as a Tool\u201d, \u201cPhotography as Ideology\u201d, \u201cPhotography as Film, Film as Photography\u201d and \u201cPhotography as Algorithm\u201d. The first of these discussions was held on 17.12.1977. Its active participants comprised: S\u0142awomir Magala, Krzysztof K\u0105kolewski, Janusz Zagrodzki, Wojciech Bruszewski, Zbigniew D\u0142ubak, Bogdan Dziworski, Marcin Gi\u017cycki, Grzegorz Kr\u00f3likiewicz, Pawe\u0142 Kwiek, Marceli Bacciarelli and Marek Ho\u0142y\u0144ski.<\/p>\n The exhibition that inaugurated the new program was \u201cMedia\u201d featuring works by Alek Figura, Ireneusz Kulika, Jerzy Olek and Ryszard Tabaka.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was followed by presentations of other important author\u2019s galleries such as: Ma\u0142a Galeria<\/strong> run by Andrzej J\u00f3rczak, Galeria GN<\/strong> run by Leszek Brogowski, Galeria Akumulatory 2<\/strong> headed by Jaros\u0142aw Koz\u0142owski and Galeria Labirynt<\/strong> run by Andrzej Mroczek. Also the long period of solo exhibitions commenced to include shows of: Zbigniew Je\u017c, Zenon Harasym, Kryspin Sawicz, Andrzej Baranowski and many, many others. For me, \u201dPossible Photography\u201d (6.1979) was of particular importance. I wrote in the catalogue: \u201cPOSSIBLE PHOTOGRAPHY that builds its order from a chance is an arbitrary photography which communicates itself in a dynamic manner, \u201cexpressing itself\u201d \u2013 by becoming anew all the time and by changing representation – as an ongoing, unfinished process. This means that it communicates different things depending on imagination trails of the viewer who searches specific objective references to \u201cmessages\u201d it carries. It is presentation of apparent reality which allows, however, to see the possible.\u201d<\/p>\n The profile and character of the Gallery was defined by group exhibitions, such as: \u201cFot-Art\u201d (with participation of, amongst others, Wojciech Krzywob\u0142ocki, Andrzej M. \u0141ukowski and Grzegorz Sztabi\u0144ski), \u201cFoto-Medium\u201d (Annette Messager, Alina Szapocznikow, Christian Boltanski, Zdzis\u0142aw Jurkiewicz\u2026), dedicated to Casimir Malevich \u201cBlack and White\u201d (Jan Berdyszak, Zbigniew D\u0142ubak, Stanis\u0142aw Dr\u00f3\u017cd\u017c, Jaros\u0142aw Koz\u0142owski, Ryszard Winiarski\u2026) and \u201cFrom Zero to Infinity, from Infinity to Zero\u201d (Janusz B\u0105kowski, Leszek Brogowski, Jerzy Lewczy\u0144ski, Stefan Morawski, Andrzej R\u00f3\u017cycki, Henryk Sta\u017cewski, Zbigniew Warpechowski\u2026).<\/p>\n Shows of foreign artists were of particular importance, e.g. of the Check and Slovak avant-garde – \u201cPlaces and Moments\u201d (Jaroslav Andel, Michal Kern, Karel Miler, Jan Ml\u010doch, Rudolf Sikora, Peter \u0160tembera\u2026), or the Japanese \u201cRoad\u201d (Yukio Hamaguchi, Hiroshi Yamazaka, Akira Komoto, Masaka Nakayama, Sakiko Shimizu\u2026), to mention a few.<\/p>\n Next to numerous group shows, individual exhibitions were held on a regular basis. Domek Roma\u0144ski accommodated exhibitions, installations and projections by Stefan Wojnecki, Wincenty Duniko-Dunikowski, Michael Snow, Joseph Kosuth, Rolf Sachsse, Tadeusz Mys\u0142owski, J\u00f3zef Robakowski, Zygmunt Rytka, etc.<\/p>\n Under the martial law, when the Gallery was officially closed, it housed unofficial night meetings from the \u201cGallery-medium\u201d series. Such artists as e.g. Janusz Czarny, Lech Twardowski, Anna P\u0142otnicka, Piotr Szczeniowski, Tomasz Sta\u0144ko held their one-night events (spilling painting, deconstructed sculpture, intimate performance, sound improvization).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quite a unique action was \u201eEmpty \u2013 Full\u201d, delivered with Bogdan Konopka. The exhibition inspired by the Buddhist aesthetics was prepared in summer 1982 during meetings of tens of young, independent people related to different religions and sub-culture movements that were held in Pra\u0142kowce near Przemy\u015bl and in Giera\u0142towo. It gave a pretext for meetings, sometimes lasting for several days, of representatives of alternative theatre, yoga believers and haiku poets. One of the most intensive gatherings was an action that lasted uninterruptedly for three days at the Knight Academy in Legnica. The series of such actions held in several towns of Poland was triggered by the \u201eEmpty \u2013 Full\u201d in \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d (9.1982).<\/p>\n The situation that arose at that time gave start to a new movement which in the domain of photography was called \u201celementary\u201d. First exhibitions in that cycle that lasted for several years were delivered by: Andrzej J. Lech (3.1983), Bogdan Konopka, Jakub Byrczek, Adam Lesisz, Wojciech Zawadzki, Jerzy Olek, \u0160tepan Grygar, Miroslav Machotka Andreas M\u00fcller-Pohle, Gottfried J\u00e4ger, Eva Rubinstein, Jaroslav Bene\u0161, Jan Svoboda. In September 1983, a plein-air workshop was held in \u201cSamotnia\u201d the result of which was the \u201cKarkonosze\u201d exhibition. In the catalogue to that show, I wrote \u201cCo-authors of \u201cKarkonosze\u201d, though each in his\/her own way, try to surpass the veristic picture. Surpassing aimed at abstraction. It seems simple to the extent that each hyper photograph is unrealistic in some way. This is so because it attracts attention primarily to its own form. That\u2019s what elementary photography<\/strong> is all about. Logic and rational, pure and perfect, captivating with its simplicity and poetic in its harmony. It requires artistic consistency and discipline, exploratory passion and invention \u2013 indispensable, if we want to show the \u201cinvisible\u201d when taking photographs of the common. Such photography, creating a new reality, its own reality, makes the very picture the criterion of truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Another example of the elementary approach was provided by installations from the \u201cPresence Amongst Stones\u201d cycle. It had quite a number of authors, to include: Eugeniusz J\u00f3zefowski, Miko\u0142aj Smoczy\u0144ski, Maciej Sza\u0144kowski, Jan Berdyszak, Tadeusz Sawa-Borys\u0142awski, Piotr Kowalski, Alojzy Gryt.<\/p>\n The largest events organized by \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d comprised East-West Photoconferences called \u201cEuropean Exchange\u201d – held every two years. The first one took place in 1989 and was Hyde-Park in nature. The second was composed of two parts: the \u201cNew Spaces of Photography\u201d exhibition, in which 131 artists from 24 countries took part (e.g. Christo, Christian Boltanski, Georges Rousse, Felice Varini, Gottfried J\u00e4ger, Kurt Buchwald, Klaus Elle, Satoshi Saito, Boyd Webb, John Hilliard) and a seminar \u201cEthos of Photografy\u201d (lectures given by such experts as: Urszula Czartoryska, Antonin Dufek, Vilem Flusser, Stefan Morawski, Marc Haworth-Booth, Rolf Sachsse). The third conference \u201cNon-presence in Nature\u201d was held in 1993 in the form of a sculpture & photography workshop. The next one was called \u201cPoint of Junction\u201d and last but not least, the Polish & Japanese \u201cTomorrow is Today\u201d showed in both countries.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 1996, \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d Galery lost its permanent location. The time of emigration, of \u201cnomadic gallery\u201d arrived. The original program, however, was continued in many friendly places. Whether in the \u201eCastle on Water\u201d in Wojnowice or in Art Gallery (at present, pARTer) in K\u0142odzko. The logo of \u201cF-M-A\u201d showed up also on the occasion of exhibitions where I acted as a curator, also in other countries \u2013 Czech Republic, Germany, France. One of them was \u201cQ-bis-m\u201d, presented at the festival in Nantes in 2004. Also the Festivals of Young Art \u201cAbiRynT\u201d in K\u0142odzko (eight so far) are held under this logo. It is worth mentioning that \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d was a logo that accompanied a series of critical texts and essays published in the \u201cOdra\u201d magazine in 1977.<\/p>\n Since 2007, \u201cFoto-Medium-Art\u201d Gallery has had a new location in Krak\u00f3w. Commencing regular continuation of the activity prompts questions, for example: how the program established throughout the years is to find itself in the changed cultural environment, in times when the set of most commonly used media has been replaced to a large extent (digital in place of analog); when the former saving of media has been replaced with extensive picture structures (multimedia and multi-trend in nature)? After the medial and elementary period, in the era that is only in the process of making, in the era that follows the subsequent \u201cneo-\u201d and \u201cpost-\u201d, in the era where linear narratives give way to mosaic structures of databases, structures composed of elements that are independent one from another, it is necessary to revise the program. In what direction? \u2013 the upcoming artistic practice will show. Still, it can already be said that this will be complex photography involved in art, photography that opens up to other domains continuously expanding the scope of its exploratory and expressive potential.<\/p>\n x x x<\/p>\n The passed period of medial and elementary photography matched well the media world with an analytic and nostalgic approach to the applied language, preferred by the artists. However, in recent decades the scope of problems and means has changed so dramatically and has expanded so much that perhaps we should talk about the re-medial galaxy. From the analog realism we entered the arbitrary digital hyperrealism. Older media have not ceased to exist \u2013 the are continuously upgraded being subject to incessant re-mediation process, i.e. processing and re-modelling which is to harmonize with creation from scratch of other media, mostly computer ones, at the level of form and content.<\/p>\n
\n(\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n
\n(\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n