Michał Gątarek – Antinatalism
Images full of ankiety – a pessimistic journey to the future.
Antinatalism is an exhibition of paintings by the Wrocław-based artist Michał Gątarek. The artist presents pessimistic visions of the future, its civilization development and relationships between the individual and society and the natural environment, as well as the resulting problems.
Michał Gątarek:
The idea of antinatalism is not a modern invention. In fact, it appeared much earlier in world religions, history of philosophy and poetry. Questioning the moral aspect of procreation is currently associated with anxiety about the future of the natural environment, as well as with doubts about the development of civilization in the 21st-century capitalism. The latest series doesn’t attempt to suggest what is right and what is wrong. What I do is spin a yarn about a deserted world in which the presence of man can still be felt. This theme first appeared in my previous cycle New Atlantis. This one, however, is filled with a more melancholic atmosphere and subdued colours. Here, the main motifs are degraded natural environment, suburban housing settlements, hospitals and cemeteries. The works offer no consolation, but well, at least they don’t encourage us to indulge in the pleasure of eating a new candy bar or wearing a snow-white shirt, washed with the top-quality powder. Enjoy!
Michał Gątarek, born in 1985 in Rymanów; graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław; degree in painting and drawing under Professor Aleksander Dymitrowicz (2010).
Solo exhibitions presented in Wrocław: New Atlantis (2016) and Mundophobia (2011) at Galeria Arttrakt; Young People from Good Homes at Galeria MMXIII (2014), and at the PoKuSa Gallery in Wiesbaden, which was presented together with works by Prof. Zdzisław Nitka (2010). Participant of the final exhibitions of the Painting Biennale Bielska Jesień at Galeria Bielska BWA in Bielsko-Biała (2019, 2017, 2015) and other group exhibitions in Berlin, Wrocław (2012), Dresden and other venues.
The exhibition opens at 6.30 pm on Friday, 3 January, 2020.
The opening will be followed by a DJ set by Der Slapstick Tod (Cafe Club Aquarium).
The artist will give a guided tour of the exhibition at noon on Saturday, 4 January, 2020. Admission free.
