Photo: Mariusz Jabłoński
The futuristic fiction of Stanisław Lem inspired a visionary fashion installation by young Polish designers in the heart of Madrid
The Adolfo Dominguez Foundation, Editorial Impedimenta, Fabryka Sztuki and Nophoto presented the multimedia project Solaris. Truth. Illusion at Serrano 5. The installation opened on the 16th of September at 6:00 pm. Paulina Poloz, the designer behind this project, has based the theme on the ideas of Polish science fiction writer Stanisław Lem, in particular the figure of a man lost between what is certain - recognisable through the senses - and what is intuitive. Empirical knowledge is faced up against the workings of the intellect and the subconscious in a world where reality is constantly shifting, undergoing deformation and distortion.
Truth becomes illusion and vice-versa, depending on the viewpoint of the perceiver. The concept of how to establish closer contact with oneself, one another, the world around us and the absolute - whatever that may be. What are the limits of cognition and are there ways of stretching those limits. The seemingly trite field of fashion takes on the challenge with a clothing collection that is presented in a way that is disconnected from the body. Individual looks are "trapped" in illuminated Plexiglas containers arranged around space of the gallery. The effect is a three-dimensional sculpture of sorts - worn by an "invisible" model - that can be surveyed from a variety of perspectives.
We do not exist for it in the same sense that we exist for each other. We recognize one another by the appearance of the face and the body. That appearance is a transparent window to the ocean. It introduces itself directly into the brain.
The quote from “Solaris” was a leading theme for the spatial part of the installation which focused on the sphere of the superficial. The clothes became a kind of a uniform and a mask. The designer created original forms and experiments with fabrics to create a futuristic character for the collection - matte, shiny and transparent textures take shape in geometrical cut-outs forming openwork patterns on the body. The pad-like modules used in the collection carry associations with space suits. The designer has considered the functionality of the clothes, which makes even the most daring models of her collection suitable as everyday dress. Thanks to high quality hand-coloured linings and a ventilation system added to rubber coats and jackets, the clothes are both eye-catching and functional. The rebellious avant-garde character is combined with comfort and high-quality materials.
The spatial part of the installation was completed by the multimedia part focusing around film screenings. The multimedia platform created an interaction between the viewer and the “objects” enclosed in Plexiglass. The films presented the emotional aspect of the installation, depicting a woman and a man set in the murky surroundings of the historic bath house in Zgierz. Dressed in individual models from the collection they undergo a constant metamorphosis. For the dress itself is more than only a mask and outer garment. It is also a way of individual expression, an expression of the character’s self and a manner to identify with another person. The only constant of the films is changeability, which makes it difficult for the characters to establish contact.
Solaris. Truth. Illusion. - Trailer from Paulina Poloz on Vimeo.
A panel discussion took place on the 23rd of September at 19:30, entitled Stanislaw Lem. Writer, visionary and scientist. Participants included:
Enrique Redel (1971, Madrid). Publisher and founder member of Impedimenta Publishing House.
Joanna Orzechowska (1972, Kraków, Poland). Degree in Spanish Philologyat the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. She has translated into Spanish the following authors: Stanisław Lem, Magdalena Tulli, Dorota Masłowska, Joanna Chmielewska, Ksawery Knotz, and from Spanish into Polish Arturo Perez Reverte and Camilo Jose Cela. Her activities also involve creative writing of narrative and poetry, as well as photography.
Jesús Palacios (1964, Madrid). Writer and film critic. He is a regular contributor on film and cultural magazines, and he is a literary advisor at Valdemar Publishing House. Member of the committee of the International Film Festival of Las Palmas. Writer and commentator on television and radio. His most recent books are the anthology of short stories "La plaga de los zombis y otras historias de muertos vivientes" (Valdemar) and "Neonoir. Cine negro y americano moderno" (T & B).
Roberto Valencia (1972, Pamplona). Writer, literary critic and professor of creative writing. He collaborates in several publications (Letras Libres, Turia) and coordinates the book review section of the magazine Quimera. He teaches creative writing at the Public University of Navarra, and at the Buldain Huarte Foundation. He has recently published the book "Sonría a cámara" (Lengua de Trapo).
Date: 16th-24th of September, 2011
Venue: Fundacion Adolfo Dominguez space, Madrid
Organised by: Fabryka Sztuki in Łódź
Project cofinanced by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Solaris Fashion
The works and ideas of Stanisław Lem comprise one of the six flagship projects of the Cultural Programme of the Polish EU Presidency, which features Teatr Biuro Podróży's spectacular performance of "Planet Lem".
See more on Planet Lem...