The Dystopia of an Imitation by Jaroslaw (Jarek) Solecki is a virtual
installation created in 3D technology inspired by the paintings of
Johannes Vermeeer, in particular his famous The Milkmaid (from around
1657–1661).
This small-sized work (45,5 × 41 cm) begins to draw us
in, sweeping us off into a space that belongs only to it. It becomes
even more fascinating when we notice that the composition, which at
first glance looked like an accurate depiction of details, is
manipulated by the artist's decisions.
The original painting can
be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (SK-A-2344).
On the gallery's
wall can be seen a reproduction of The Milkmaid, but the portrayed woman
presents empty hands instead of a pitcher. The pitcher itself has become
the main object of the installation. It is based on a scan of a
quasi-Dutch coffee mug, which during the process of analysis and
conceptualisation became a pitcher from a Vermeer painting.
Further
information about the project, as well as the theoretical findings,
can be read in the bilingual booklet The Dystopia of an Imitation by
Jarosław Solecki.
Curatorship of the exhibition: dr Justyna Gorzkowicz
You can download a full version of the booklet from here:
and watch videoessey on YouTube