(openPR) - GREGOR GAIDA - Sum of Stories

Opening: Friday, January 15, 2010, 7 pm
Exhibition: January 16 – March 6, 2010

„The result of my work is a translation of reality. With it, the spatial object is put into relation while the sum of perceptions reflects the ambiguity of reality.”

Quantum physics postulates that a particle can follow every possible path in space-time on its way from one place to another and thus live through every possible story. Each of these possibilities describes one story and the sum of all these stories results in the only “probable” path while each possible story holds a probability of its own. Gregor Gaida (*1975 Chorzów, Poland) has taken on this scientific onset and transferred it to life and art. In his philosophical approach of “sum of histories”, he describes the theory of human action as the consequence of the sum of all past events.

In his sculptures, Gaida literally gives shape to this approach and tells stories without writing them out. They are allegories of the contemporary that in their openness and elusiveness suggest different possibilities of a story.

Contradictions in current and historical context and in social value systems generate concepts that condense to imagery. As scrutinizing observer, he documents persons facing a personal decision and, at these crossroads, logs every detail of their mimic and gestures. His sculptures depict singular moments that implicate not only the sum of causes but all possibilities arising from this moment. Starting point of these works are mostly photographs in which the protagonists’ postures and gestures as well as the composition are evaluated individually. The images’ original impact is alienated through the cropping of details, eventually opening the possibility of free interpretation by the viewer.

In “Lateral III” the artist merges positively charged components like the motive of the child, the colour white and the pureness of washing powder. Their sum and constellation, however, produce a negative effect and irritate the viewer. Here, the crated image wavers between attraction and repulsion. Something similar happens in “Kind und Kreide” (“Child and Crayon”) which seems to feature the theme of childhood’s innocence and purity. Only upon the second, closer look of the viewer, the seemingly playful scene unfolds to its whole extent: In absolute equality the playing children mutate to adversaries who consciously set themselves apart from each other.

The narrative character of the figurative in Gaida’s works is always strongly pronounced and the characters whose anatomic minutiae and physiognomies are defined in detail seem strangely animate. A classic and timeless impression is also given by the lightly glazed wood which finds frequent application besides other materials such as aluminium, polyester and acrylic resin. Apart from the delicate wood grain, knotholes and small irregularities shine through the white glazed surface of skin, hair and clothes. Their inner substance which in itself holds an organic vitality is revealed and imparts Gaida’s figurines with their ambivalent livelihood.

Gregor Gaida merges approaches from photography and painting to form inimitable sculptures. His objects may be seen as three-dimensional snapshots as the protagonists are cropped at their imaginary image borders and wrest away from their original frame of action. It is this fragmentary character that prompts the viewer to fathom themselves the “sum of stories”.

Galerie Adler is focusing on new and fresh international talents with a unique handwriting going along with strong and challenging themes.
The artists reflect the self-image, the desires and dreams of human beings in today's society. They explore topics like youth culture, social conflicts, life and death, faith and despair as well as angst, loneliness, violence and other kinds of human abysses. Their work can be described as morbid, provocative, bizarre but also as ironic, mystic and grotesque. They provide a link between drama and humour.
Our program covers all media: paintings, drawings, photographs and especially videos and performances.

Galerie ADLER
Hanauer Landstraße 134
60314 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
mail@galerieadler.com
www.galerieadler.com
+49 (0)69 43053962
opening hours
Tue - Fri 12 am - 6 pm
Sat 11 am - 3 pm
and upon appointment