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Millar, Jeremy, 2014, Show, Exhibition or Event, M/W

Abstract or Description:

The idea of the M/W exhibition refers to Bronisław Malinowski and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz’s expedition to Ceylon and western Australia organised a hundred years ago. The expedition, although Witkacy abandoned it before its end, can be considered one of the journeys contributing to the tradition of modernism, similarly to Paul Gaugin’s journey to Tahiti or Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud’s roaming Europe.
In M/W Jeremy Millar asks the question about what could have happened had the trip lasted longer.

In 2009 Jeremy Millar created a series of works concerning the possible consequences of Witkiewicz’s staying in the tropics and his continued cooperation with Malinowski. The artist constructs a kind of projection of Witkiewicz’s character onto contemporary circumstances he witnessed in Papua-New Guiney. Looking for traces of Witkacy’s unrealised presence Millar assigns himself the role of an explorer providing material evidence of what kind of works Witkacy would have created if he had not interrupted his journey. In the project Millar proposes a fragmentary narration concerning the unrealised episodes from Witkiewicz’s biography and encourages the viewers to complete it. Similarly to other projects by Jeremy Millar this one also features fictitious events staged by the artist that stimulate reflections on their possible aesthetic and philosophical consequences.

The exhibition consists of three components:
The first one is a series of black and white photographs titled As Witkiewicz depicting the inhabitants and sights of Kiriwina Island – a place where Malinowski conducted his research.
The second element of the exhibition are two recordings of video-staging of Metaphysics of a Two-Headed Calf one of the ‘tropical plays’ written by Witkiewicz in 1921.
The third component of the exhibition is a ceremonial necklace soulava from the region of Papua-New Guiney modified by Millar.

Events:
TitleLocationDatesType
M/WLodz, Poland30 May – 24 August 2014One person show
Official URL: http://msl.org.pl/en/eventsms/archive-exhibitions/...
Subjects: Creative Arts and Design > W100 Fine Art
Creative Arts and Design > W400 Drama
Creative Arts and Design > W600 Cinematics and Photography
School or Centre: School of Arts & Humanities
Date Deposited: 15 Dec 2016 19:39
Last Modified: 28 Nov 2019 15:26
URI: https://researchonline.rca.ac.uk/id/eprint/2458
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