CUTOUTS & FALLOUTS – Agnieszka Grodzińska

Combining the languages of science and art, “CUTOUTS & FALLOUTS” presents the works by Agnieszka Grodzińska in the historic villa at Wieniawskiego 3: the former premises of the Department of Medical Microbiology and soon the new home of the Institute of Art History, Adam Mickiewicz University. 

The project was inspired by a visit to the Kiki Kogelnik archive in Lower East Side, NYC. Known for her soft sculptures from vinyl known as “Hangings” or the outlined silhouettes of friends called “Takings”, as well as medically inspired paintings of fragmented women-robots, the artist’s oeuvre reflected the spirit of the 1960s, with electrifying pop art and a fascination with outer space. Kogelnik’s and Grodzińska’s sister strategies of cutting, combining techniques and materials, experimenting with the standardized language of science and technology, as well as exploiting humor and irony, constitute a vital axis of the exhibition. Another seeks to recreate the moment of encounter with artifacts at the New York archive: the sight of the decaying vinyls worn out by time or the furniture of the living space adjacent to the studio. Finally, the location is no less important a theme, as Grodzińska displays her works in a historical space, at a borderline of transition before fundamental changes take place. For the artist, this is a source of inspiration to examine the parallel processes in which the sciences and art attempt to arrange the world in order.

The repetitive nature of Grodzińska’s work is palpable in various forms such as prints, reproductions, photocopies, and worksheets, often featuring overlapping motifs from instruction manuals. This is already intimated by the exhibition’s title; after all, “OUTS” denote what is usually left over in the margins. The term “CUTOUTS” carries multiple meanings, from the act of cutting out a shape to reveal an opening and resulting figure, to a cutout in a garment exposing the skin, and even a switch interrupting an electrical circuit for safety. Conversely, “FALLOUTS” stands for the spread of chemical residue and secondary, enduring aftermath. However, the usage of both signifies that something has been removed or separated from a larger whole. In this context, the exhibition asks questions about the contemporary interpretation of art archives or institutions of knowledge.