Far too many stories to fit into so small a box
The collection of Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art was created in relation to the program that CCA ran since the 1980s, and reflects the political and social events in Poland timely to its creation. It formed “a permanent context for temporary exhibitions, presenting attitudes and trends”. In the meantime, artistic and curatorial strategies have been re-evaluated and the format of the institution has changed. By inviting Bik Van der Pol the CCA aims to bring different approaches towards the archive, to introduce a critical, outside point of view through the approach of an artistic practice, which would develop as ‘the collection as an artwork’.
The collection is largely built on gifts (works made without being acquired), deposits (forms of lending without being administered as such), copyrights (works remade, or stayed without the direct permission of the artist), and works that ‘just stayed’. In some ways, the collection is ‘clandestine’, and some highlights have an unclear or ambiguous status. Observing this, Bik Van der Pol ask who owns history. What is memory and what is oblivion? Who creates archives? Who decides? Can word-of-mouth stories be a legitimate part a collection or archive? Is it possible to build communality around a collection of artworks?
The collection is largely built on gifts (works made without being acquired), deposits (forms of lending without being administered as such), copyrights (works remade, or stayed without the direct permission of the artist), and works that ‘just stayed’. In some ways, the collection is ‘clandestine’, and some highlights have an unclear or ambiguous status. Observing this, Bik Van der Pol ask who owns history. What is memory and what is oblivion? Who creates archives? Who decides? Can word-of-mouth stories be a legitimate part a collection or archive? Is it possible to build communality around a collection of artworks?
Far too many stories to fit into so small a box
Bik Van der Pol critically examine – from the vantage point of outsiders – the history of the CCA and its founding myth. From the beginning CCA has been associated with theatre. The first director after 1989, Wojtek Krukowski, was also director of Akademia Ruchu (Academy of Movement), and the concept of process and movement is fundamental to the first 20 years of the CCA. The potential of collecting as a process is connected to being rooted in theatre and performance, to its site, as well as to Bik Van der Pol’s own premise to understand process as an art practice and part of the production of work.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by a work by artist Lawrence Weiner, Far Too Many Things to Fit into so Small a Box, once placed on the façade of the building in the 1990s, which has become the institution’s unofficial motto. In 2014 CCA lost this piece when it was painted over during the last renovation.
The exhibition speaks about what is elusive and transitory and how such qualities relate to the complex mechanisms of remembering and forgetting. Bik Van der Pol aim to understand the commonality of the archive and how we may include in the collection those stories that have been passed on only by the word of mouth.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by a work by artist Lawrence Weiner, Far Too Many Things to Fit into so Small a Box, once placed on the façade of the building in the 1990s, which has become the institution’s unofficial motto. In 2014 CCA lost this piece when it was painted over during the last renovation.
The exhibition speaks about what is elusive and transitory and how such qualities relate to the complex mechanisms of remembering and forgetting. Bik Van der Pol aim to understand the commonality of the archive and how we may include in the collection those stories that have been passed on only by the word of mouth.
archive
Nomads & Residents Married By Powers (Seoul) Sleep With Me What is this world? Now What? Far too many stories to fit into so small a box Czigane – Not the whole story Mama, was ist eigentlich Natur? - Mom, what is nature really? Turning a Blind Eye Up Close in the course of events (May 18) Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, he said At the end of this long journey We swear we saw this WERE IT AS IF Eminent Domain Married by Powers (with Frac Nord-Pas de Calais) City Oasis Model City Insert Birds Must Be Eliminated Catching Some Air Proposition for Reclaiming a Space A half mile of string One to One I've Got Something in My Eye Fly Me To The Moon Loompanics Trinity (April 2, 2005) Past Imperfect Untitled (after Miklos Erdely) Love and Happiness These socks not white (Deze sokken niet wit) Mosaic
collection
Married By Powers (Seoul) Little Liars Far too many stories to fit into so small a box Czigane – Not the whole story Mama, was ist eigentlich Natur? - Mom, what is nature really? Anatomy of a scene Fly Me To The Moon At the end of this long journey We swear we saw this WERE IT AS IF Married by Powers (with Frac Nord-Pas de Calais) Catching Some Air I've Got Something in My Eye Loompanics Model City These socks not white (Deze sokken niet wit) Mosaic Kiev, 18-3-2006
performativity
Far too many stories to fit into so small a box Letters to the Land Etwas Rotes To Gather on a Mountain Fly Me To The Moon The poem that jumps the fence A half mile of string Married By Powers (Seoul) What if the moon were just a jump away? Not all those who wander are lost Married by Powers (with Frac Nord-Pas de Calais) Sleep With Me point d'ironie Take Part Anatomy of a scene Speechless Turning a Blind Eye Between a rock and a hard place Elements of composition [As above, so below] Accumulate, collect, show Too late, too little, (and how) to fail gracefully Clearing Procedure are you really sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling? Speculation Learning From Vancouver Public Sculpture [sous les pavés, la plage] Public Arena 1440 minutes towards the development of a site What colour would a chameleon take when placed on a mirror? Close Encounters Istanbul, 59 Locations: A Format For Nightcomers Ideas Laughing Gas Teach Me Something Skinner*s Box Life, once more, continues to be free and easy 52% happy City Oasis Love and Happiness The Bookshop Piece The Shower Piece Rest The Kitchen Piece Kiev, 18-3-2006
installation
Letters to the Land Turning a Blind Eye Fly Me To The Moon We swear we saw this Married By Powers (Seoul) WERE IT AS IF Eminent Domain Hurry Up Please, It's Time Married by Powers (with Frac Nord-Pas de Calais) Lobby / Office Piece Insert Love and Happiness Absolut Stockholm Catching Some Air Capsule Hotels for Information, Dreams, Brilliant Thoughts and ... N.T. You are here, art is not Sleep With Me A half mile of string What is this world? Far too many stories to fit into so small a box Take Part How does a straight line feel? (GwangJu) How does a straight line feel? Stick It On! Elements of composition [As above, so below] Accumulate, collect, show are you really sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling? Learning From Vancouver It isn't what it used to be and will never be again Unititled (Gold) 1440 minutes towards the development of a site I've Got Something in My Eye Ideas Sunset Cinema Birds Must Be Eliminated The Bookshop Piece The Shower Piece The Kitchen Piece
curatorial
Far too many stories to fit into so small a box Mama, was ist eigentlich Natur? - Mom, what is nature really? Married By Powers (Seoul) These socks not white (Deze sokken niet wit) Too late, too little, (and how) to fail gracefully I've Got Something in My Eye Married by Powers (with Frac Nord-Pas de Calais) WERE IT AS IF Mosaic
