The Residents magazine stems from the need to discover the work of the otherwise invisible residents of the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art.
Artists Pierre Coric, Ivan Svitlichnyi and Dani Ploeger began their residencies back in the winter season of 2020. Critic and writer Phoebe Blatton was on her residency at the same time and, while working on her book, found time to conduct interviews with our residents, which are published in this issue.
Looking at it from today’s perspective, it is easy to forget that terms such as social distancing, lockdown and quarantine had not yet become inherent parts of our everyday vocabulary. Then, over the course of just a few weeks our world changed dramatically, the virtual realm becoming our day-to-day reality and home offices becoming proving grounds for new ways of implementing old solutions. It is hard not to get the impression that the 21st century actually began in the spring of 2020. While complaining about the inconveniences of remote work and mandatory physical separation, we were able to witness how technology provided new forms of social bonding and new ways of remaining close despite the distance. It is a remarkable coincidence that, during that time of global disruption and new digital media awareness, we played host to those three particular artists. All three are fascinated by the way new technologies have integrated into our everyday lives: their cultural significance, and their potential to produce anxiety in us, or to stimulate our consciousness.
Photographer Anna Orłowska shows us her perspective on the artists’ residencies, and the relation between technology and modern daily life. Her portraits of Pierre, Ivan and Dani in Łazienki Park were taken in the nick of time, just before all the parks were closed due to the pandemic.
