new art in polandAs popular and scientific media report, in the world of today one witnesses the crisis of masculinity. Why? The usual conclusion is that contemporary men, released from traditional roles and functions – with a good result taken over by women – feel at a loss.
Art historian, she publishes texts on contemporary art.
GABRIELA JARZĘBOWSKA AND EVA MILCZAREK, THE CURATORS OF THE "EVE'S RIB? MASCULINITY POTENTIAL" EXHIBITION HAVE POSED A QUESTION ABOUT MALE ASPIRATIONS, DREAMS AND FEARS.
The title "Eve's Rib", turning over the Christian vision, refers to the matriarchal beliefs of primitive cultures based on the conviction that the beginning of human existence took place through birth, not through supernatural creation. Grzegorz Kowalski in his piece going back to the period 1981-87, addresses various males with the following question: "Would you like to return to the bosom of your mother?" Each of several display boards carries the photograph of a man lying in a bathtub filled with water which gives a semblance of staying in the mother's bosom. The texts accompanying the photos register the reflections of these who decided to answer the artist's question and to enter the situation he has arranged. The object by Piotr Kurka, entitled "Peter Pan", neighbors the piece by Kowalski. This is a small size sculpture featuring a miniature likeness of the author in a pram. Peter Pan seems to be a helpless doll dependant upon the person who is to push the pram. On the wall near the object, there is a photograph of an enigmatic character looking on us from the above; it could be the author himself. Is it possible that we have been presented with the split male personality - a marionette to be controlled, and a tyrant? The eros and thanatos instincts, in a vulgar, cruel form have been revealed in the work entitled "Evil 33" by Artur Malewski. The piece has been based on a real life brutal murder committed on a husband by a wife and her lover while the three of them were having sex together. Following the crime, the perpetrators cut up the corpse and arranged it into sexual positions. The drawing in colorful crayons by Malewski reconstructs the course of the macabre events. Further, the author juxtaposed the drawing with the sculpture showing the bloody head and genitals of the victim. Robert Rumas has pondered on the construction of the concept of masculinity. An object/ glass case housing photographs of men has been accompanied by a recording of "Symbolic Wounds", the text by Bruno Bettelheim, describing the initiation rituals of primeval people. Apparently, following the initiation, boys are freed of physiological function of excreting. Thus, the notion of masculinity has been founded on a big lie. Could it be that our stereotype qualities of a true macho are equally absurd? "The Values of a True Male" video (2009) by Bartłomiej Jarmoliński has been an attempt to answer this question. He has asked randomly selected men what do they think about an old saying that a real man should build a house, plant a tree and sire a son. The stereotypes considered in the work by Jarmoliński were already broken in 1981 by Adam Rzepecki. His photograph "The Design of a Monument to a Polish Father" depicts the author adopting a pose of a breastfeeding female. Masculinity means not merely intellect, emotions and obligations, but also a male body. Wojciech Ćwiertniewicz has presented large size canvases illustrating realistic male nudes featuring his acquaintances. The issue of an attractive male image, depending upon sexual preferences, has been dealt with in the piece "Guys from Poland with Love" by Oiko Petersen. The light boxes with young male photographs can be associated with men's fashion illustrations. According to general opinions, male nature involves the desire for freedom and rule breaking behavior. Marek Janiak has attempted to accomplish the impossible in the actions from the 80's registered on camera; "The Liberating Exercises". He has been trying to break a plank of wood, get on the top of the ladder with no supporting elements, put a sphere on top of the other sphere, move an extremely heavy desk. The video from 2009 by Daniel Rumiancew has registered the author getting on and out of the tram. He is always trying to do this when the tram door is about to be closed. This seemingly light and witty work tells quite a lot about the desires of a man/ boy: to do something out of spite and provoke the shot of adrenaline. Eve's Rib offers a review of numerous types of male sensitivity, thus proving that contrary to the stereotypes, masculinity is much more complex and less frequently analyzed phenomenon than femininity.
"Eve's Rib? Masculinity Potential", curators: Gabriela Jarzębowska and Eva Milczarek, the Town Gallery of 13 Muses, the Pomeranian Dukes Castle, Szczecin, April - May 2009; the Warsaw Studio Gallery, October - November 2009.
