Tales within Historical Spaces
Beata Batorowicz’ Tales within
Historical Spaces, which opened at the Queensland University of Technology
(QUT) Art Museum on 1 September 2012 and will be touring Poland in 2013, displayed
the artist’s process of unearthing and reconnecting with childhood memories,
with a particular emphasis on Polish and German experiences during World War
II.
Upon entering the pristine
gallery space, it becomes evident that the section reserved for Tales within
Historical Spaces is comparatively dimmer than the adjacent section of the
gallery; as if to suggest that Batorowicz’ art works have subtexts as dark as
the lighting. Pia Robinson, member of the curatorial team at the QUT Art Museum,
unveiled the dark subject matter behind the exhibition by highlighting that the
artist was informed by Fairy Tales from Auschwitz; a book that was
secretly written and illustrated by Polish prisoners in concentration camps for
their children (Queensland University of Technology 2012). Jadwiga Kulasza,
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum historian, stated that Fairy Tales
from Auschwitz was an “…illegal work of Polish prisoners who had access to
paints and paper because they were forced to labour in the S.S offices that
produced plans for the expansion of the camp” (Memorial and Museum
Auschwitz-Birkenau 2012). It is clear that the influence of the illustrations
in Fairy Tales from Auschwitz on Batorowicz’ art works is strong as both
share the use of highly saturated colours, tones of varying transparency, and
delicate lines. Each body of work exude a sense of purity and youthful wonder
that one could associate with the saccharine illustrations in classic children’s
books by Beatrix Potter or Enid Blyton. However, like saccharine, the sweetness
is only artificial; once the viewer is made aware of the dark subtexts that both
Fairy Tales from Auschwitz and Tales within Historical Spaces share;
the viewer may be left with an unwavering bitter aftertaste.
Batorowicz’ soft sculptural art
works bring the bitter side effects of sickly sweet saccharin to the forefront.
In one room it appears that a bizarre take on the process of taxidermy has come
to fruition. Across the room’s dimly lit walls, animals are skewered on. The
shadows produced through the dark lighting only add to the grim atmosphere, a
sense that the animals are attacking one another. Depending on how much of an animal
rights activist the viewer is; they may be averse to Tales within Historical
Spaces completely on the basis of Batorowicz’ use of leather, let alone the
questionably realistic looking fur. Politics aside, it may be evident that not
all of Batorowicz’ soft sculptural art works are as confronting as the animals
hanging from sticks. Hedgehog (2012) is arguably one of the more subdued
sculptures. Parallel to Batorowicz’ other soft sculptures; it is comprised of
leather, wire, beads, leather thonging and felt. Hedgehog (2012) is
located in the first room on the left-hand side of the gallery, encircled by The
Trickster (2011), Tales from Wroclaw (2011), Trickster’s glove
(2011) and Paw Warmer (2012). Its presence in this section of the
gallery space, combined with the dim lighting and lively colours of the
surrounding art works, emanates a sense of cosiness. Cosiness akin to Hayao Miyazaki’s
animated fantasy film, My Neighbour Totoro (1988); particularly the
scene in which Mei plays outside her home in the countryside and discovers a
forested cavern with a gigantic Totoro, a forest spirit only visible to
children, sleeping in its den (Miyazaki 1988). Despite the size of this
creature, Mei feels safe in its presence, and quickly befriends the Totoro.
Likewise, Hedgehog (2012) may have the same ominous
undercurrent as Batorowicz’ other art works, but because its intended purpose
and appearance is that of a cloak, as opposed to a full-bodied taxidermy
animal, it almost invites the viewer to try it on and feel comforted by its
ability to conceal them from the atrocities of the real world; atrocities that course
throughout the veins of Tales within Historical Spaces.
Tales within Historical Spaces may be regarded as the result of an artist’s
inquiry into how to create a balance between light visuals and dark subtexts.
From an initial glance, it is almost hard to believe that such cheerful imagery
could be informed by such devastating horror.
-
References:
Memorial
and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau 2012,
viewed 29 September 2012,
Miyazaki. H 1988, My Neighbour
Totoro, video recording, Madman Japan.
Queensland University of Technology 2012,
viewed 29 September 2012,
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