EXHIBITION
Unknown 2014, Fast Forward III

LOCATION
Museum of Fine Arts, Split, Croatia

DATE
2014

MEDIA
Metal construction, laminated paper, electric motor, cable

Unknown 2014
The exhibition programme, entitled “Tuesdays in the Gallery – Fast Forward”, was inaugurated in 2012 as a collaborative platform with the objective of fostering collaboration among the youngest participants of the Split visual arts scene. The series of exhibitions showcases the works of final-year students at the Academy of Fine Arts in Split. Moreover, in the 2014 iteration of Fast Forward, the sculptor Dijana Engelmann presents a deformed human figure as a means of introducing herself to the viewer. The figure is both unknown and isolated, yet also universal, representing a face that each of us can identify with if we engage in sufficient introspection regarding our own existence. The figure is constructed from a metal framework coated with laminated newsprint. The sculpture is deliberately crafted with dual appendages and a distinctive torso, showcasing a human head devoid of discernible facial characteristics. The sculpture is connected to an electrical supply via a cable of over 25 metres in length and is in constant motion, unable to perceive the external world. In other words, the modern man’s inability or refusal to see and recognise the individual becomes apparent when he is torn between his desires, abilities, and societal expectations. This serves to illustrate the significance of artistic endeavour. In accordance with the established definition, the human being can be described as a thinking, social, spiritual, and natural entity. Nevertheless, it is pertinent to question whether contemporary humans can truly be considered free beings. Has the concept of freedom become self-destructive, functioning merely as a theoretical concept with no practical application? The concept of freedom has been an unfulfilled aspiration since the dawn of humanity, as evidenced by Eve’s consumption of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The earliest humans to emerge from the period of the Great Flood were aware that the concept of freedom is inherently limited. The artist employs the use of an electric cable to underscore the finitude and limitations of the human condition, effectively enshrouding the figure in the material. This raises the question of whether the modern, technologically dependent human being is similarly constrained. The individual may feel adrift in the world of virtual social networks, where information is limited, filtered and presented in a manner that is not entirely reflective of reality. Text by Ana Žanko.

Photo: Zorica Bulic ©