(b. 1985, lives in Wrocław) graduated from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław with an MFA in painting. His dreamlike paintings are devoted to the collective unconscious of people in the era of late capitalism and climate catastrophe. The starting point for Gątarek’s works are personal anxieties and experiences, which are his reaction to the destruction of life on Earth, ongoing exploitation, and a resulting sense of alienation.
from the series New Atlantis, 2016, oil on canvas:
Green Body, collection of Galeria Bielska BWA
New Atlantis, courtesy of the artist
Carefree, courtesy of the artist
Reflexes, collection of Danuta Chałat
The series deals with fantasies and fears related to the world of the future. It is also a farewell to the suicidal human species. The sunken remnants of civilization are dominated by giant jellyfish of the species Turritopsis nutricula, known as hydromeduses. These animals have the remarkable ability, fascinating biologists and geneticists, to revert back to the sexually immature hydropolip stage after they reach sexual maturity. This process could repeat indefinitely, which would make the hydromedusa potentially immortal. Jellyfish are also one of the longest-lived animals on Earth. Although, unlike humans, they do not have brains, they can perfectly adapt to the climate that warms up as a result of its activity.
Photo: Reflexes, 2016,courtesy of the artist and Danuta Chałat
Venue:
Muzeum Ziemi Lubuskiej, Al. Niepodległości 15