The “History and Utopia” project traces authentic, albeit seemingly implausible, histories as well as stories that could turn out to be true. Documents and archives are blended with forgeries. The artist reveals what we sometimes don’t want to know or remember. The exhibition’s concept is borrowed from Emil Cioran’s book “History and Utopia,” consisting of six essays in which the author ironically perceives politics as an element of utopia disseminated by the apparatus of state power in society.
The project comprises a series of videos, objects, and neon installations. Notably, the exhibition showcases the video “Lux Aeterna,” shot in Norway, constructed on the principle of contrast between the visual aspect—the beauty of Scandinavian nature—and the verbal commentary, which is a critical reflection on the future world composed of quotes from Juliusz Słowacki, Thomas Jefferson, Adolf Hitler, and Anders Breivik. Anders Breivik killed 77 people, and during his crime, he listened to Clint Mansell’s song “Lux Aeterna” from the movie “Requiem for a Dream.”
The video “Reach for the Stars” pertains to the meteorological rocket program conducted by the Institute of Aviation in Warsaw during the 1960s. Despite evident success by our scientists, the program was discontinued. This takes on special significance in connection with the establishment of the Parliamentary Group on Space Affairs in Poland in 2006.
The idea behind the film “Repetition of Memory” is based on a “repetition of the journey” from Tarnów to Auschwitz in a freight car. Thus, a film was created that attempts to recreate the feelings of people who were transported on June 14, 1940, in the first transport wagon carrying prisoners from Tarnów to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Video projections are accompanied by neon signs, such as “Death from Above,” “It’s a Scandal that a Pole Lacked the Civil Courage to Strike an Unprotected Person,” “The Circle of Light Ends Here,” and “The Greatest Joy Is to Humiliate Someone Who Has Already Been Struck by Misfortune.”
The exhibition also features the Haunebu project, the result of months of searching for traces of the mysterious “Wunderwaffe” (German: “wonder weapon”)—a flying saucer-like vehicle with an antigravity propulsion system—allegedly invented by the Nazis at the end of World War II and transported to their Antarctic base.