Mateusz Okoński, Jakub Woynarowski "Czech Pope", video HD, 2014, photo: courtesy of artists
Meet Factory is a well-known independent cultural centre in Prague, established by David Černý – one of the most recognisable Czech artists in the world. From February 5th, 2014, the Meet Factory will display exhibitions by five young Polish artists from Warsaw and Kraków. Ewa Axelrad, Ada Karczmarczyk, Bartosz Kokosiński, Mateusz Okoński and Jakub Woynarowski, who represented Poland at the 14th International Biennale of Architecture Exhibition in Venice, will present works that touch on problematic subjects connected to faith, religion, spiritualism and the occult.
During that time the Meet Gallery will turn into a “the temple of heresy,” which follows the imaginary history of a Czech Pope.
A Czech Pope! Is this a mistake? A joke? A slip of the tongue? It's an irrational misunderstanding stemming from bringing together the head of the Catholic Church with Europe’s most non-religious nation. A classic Central European absurdity pronounced with a dead serious facial expression. On your knees! – say the curators of the exhibition, Piotr Sikora and Piotr Zdybał.
The exhibition aims to present similarities and differences between Poles and Czechs. According to the organisers, this is the best way to provoke endless comparisons and combinations which lead to intriguing conclusions. It is also an invitation to take a closer look at these two nations which can be quite similar but also diametrically opposed.
Ewa Axelrad "Is it safe", 2012, photo: courtesy of artist
Each artist will present his or her own work through the prism of religion, via a mixture of photographs, diagrams, short films and images showing different aspects of religious life.