"The Dark Matter of Art" – a screening of Anna Baumgart’s film
as well as a meeting with the artist and Mikołaj Iwański led by Stach Szabłowski 
in the frame of the exhibition WHAT IS SOCIAL? Activity of the Ujazdowski Castle
in Public Space (1988–2014)

July 3, 2015 at 6 p.m., KINO.LAB

The film presents the creative personalities of 10 contemporary artists working in Sopot, while also undertaking a topic that has become an extremely important global phenomenon in the world of art, to which the key is the concept of "the dark matter of art," introduced by the American artist and theorist Gregory Scholette (popularized in Poland by Kuba Szreder).

The concept of "The Dark Matter of Art" shows that in order for the contemporary art world to function, wherein attention is focused on a few celebrities of art, the presence and activity of artists is necessary. Even though artists account for 90% of its social weight, they are virtually invisible in it, yet still, it is them that provide the art world with dynamics and vitality. Commenting on this cruel truth in the film: Andrzej Turowski, Anda Rottenberg, Aneta Szyłak, Kuba Szreder, Łukasz Gorczyca, and Piotr Piotrowski.

Artists portrayed in the film: Józef Czerniawski, Henryk Cześnik, Elwin Flamingo, Robert Florczak, Anna Królikiewicz, Hanna Nowicka, Anna Reinert, Jacek Staniszewski, Katarzyna Swinarska, Joanna Zastróżna. Their statements show, how they face "invisibility" in their artistic activities and what it means for them in practice.  

"Ciemna materia sztuki"/"The Dark Matter of Art", 2015
Time: 35 min.
Written and directed by Anna Baumgart
Cinematography by Andrzej Wojciechowski
Assembly and production: Grzegorz Pacek

CCA Media Patronage: Gazeta Wyborcza, Wyborcza.pl Warszawa, Gazeta Co Jest Grane, TOK FM, ELLE, Elle Decoration, Esquire Polska, Aktivist, artinfo.pl, Stolica