During the preparations for the 2021 Independence March, the artist watched the building materials in the centre of Warsaw that had been cordoned off with fences. By moving them from the Dmowskiego Roundabout, the idea was to protect the city space from the devastation of property, as during the 'Battle for the Empik Store' the year before. The paving materials in Śródmieście (City Centre) were not moved to improve people's comfort, but by decree of the governor to protect residents from outbreaks of aggression among demonstrators. The artist is referring to the art of Charlotte Posenenske, who used technology and progress à rebours, derived from mass production and standardisation. The old standards of street renovation may take on a different meaning in the future. An example of this is underground passageways, which were considered a solution for pedestrian safety in the 1970s, but are now being backfilled.

 

 

Jan Domicz

Jan Domicz makes videos, objects and installations. He is a graduate of the Städelschule in Frankfurt and the University of Fine Arts in Poznań. In his works he uses the narrative potential of space and its sociopolitical implications. He is interested in the intersection of private and public places. He has exhibited in Poland and abroad, including at the Venice Biennale of Architecture and the Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt. He has received scholarships from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. In addition to his artistic practice, he runs a quasi-curatorial project "Office for Narrated Spaces". Lives and works in Warsaw.