Published: 2 kwietnia 2012 Views: 1327 Books, Publications

Jan Berdyszak. Density of the shadow. Between light and darkness

On very few occasions not only the meaning of the title, but the meaning of each word of it, is important and indicative of an exhibition.
Let’s start with light. How many associations the word light triggers in our mind? How many physical and metaphorical qualities can we name in relation to light?
How vast can be the web of words related to light, and to it’s opposite, the darkness? Words like: Sight. Vision. Radiation. Ray. Wave. Speed. Frequency. Intensity. Spectrum. Rainbow. Aurora. Sun. Lightning. Flame. Neon. Bulb. Eye. Optics. Lens. Illumination. Reflection. Enlightenment. Knowledge. Truth. Good. Clean. Clear. Transparent. Spirit. Transcendence…
And what about shadow and its parts: umbra, penumbra and antumbra? How many associations can the word shadow trigger?
Some that come to my mind are: Silhouette. Projection. Shade. Phantasm. Ghost. Halo. Mirage. Crepuscular. Haze. Blur. Fog. Grey…
But in spite of a strong associative character of these terms, the word that deserves perhaps the highest attention when it comes to work of Jan Berdyszak is between. It is the word that alludes to processuality, discursiveness and mediation. It alludes to the space of interrogation and reflection, a condition of permanent research and reframing. Within the frame of sharp-edged categories – light and dark / white and black – infinity of nuances may be found and it seems that it’s this world of possibilities and potentials that the artist wishes to share with us the most.

Edited by
Marta Smolińska

Catalogue texts
Maria Berdyszakowa
Sebastian Dudzik
Piotr Lisowski
Marta Smolińska

Entries by
Dobrila Denegri

Translations
Zofia Smith
Monika Ujma

Proofreading
Paweł Falkowski (Pl, En)
Paulina Kapelska (En)
Katarzyna Radomska (Pl)

Design
Grzegorz Laszuk K+S
Anna Hegman K+S

Typesetting
Marcin Treichel

Photographs
Jan Berdyszak
Marcin Berdyszak
Brunon Cynalewski
Zbigniew Czarnecki
Elżbieta Dzikowska
Marek Glinkowski.
A. Jałosiński
P. Koprowski
Leszek Krutulski
Bohdan Olechnicki
Zdzisław Orłowski
Jacek Skitek
Marta Smolińska
Zofia Strzelecka

Cover
Jan Berdyszak ENTER THE LIGHT, 2006, light installation, Wieża Słodowni, Stary Browar, Poznań, Photo: Zdzisław Orłowski, Courtesy of Artist

Publisher
Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu
Ul. Wały Gen. Sikorskiego 13, 87-100 Toruń
Poland
www.csw.torun.pl
info@csw.torun.pl

Printed by
ARTiS poligrafia s.c.

ISBN: 978-83-62881-09-3