The exhibition “Uncertain Ground” explores the power of doubt and the paradox of drawing strength from one’s own weaknesses. The artists participating in the project examine their personal fears in distinctive, authorial ways, transforming individual experiences into universal forms of coping with social tensions—within family relationships, in the art world, and in everyday life.
“As Stefan G. Hofmann writes in his book Social Anxiety: ‘Anxiety in social situations arises when a person wants to make a certain impression on others but is unsure whether they are capable of doing so. This desire is often connected with the natural need to belong to a chosen group and to meet the social norms of a given culture.’” The works presented in “Uncertain Ground” relate to the experiences of artists at an early stage of their professional journey, who already operate within the art world, yet whose presence is still tied to a struggle for attention, visibility, and recognition.
This tension—between being noticed and the attempt to establish a lasting foothold within the artistic environment—gives rise to works charged with strong emotional intensity and reveals a broad spectrum of artistic attitudes: from introspection and working through personal experience to an openness toward social reality.
The participants in the exhibition skillfully employ irony and metaphor, while at the same time not shying away from existential reflection on their own place in the world. Also characteristic is their ability to translate the language of the Internet into a clear visual code. This is accompanied by freedom, focus, and imagination, which allow them to offer a fresh perspective on contemporary art.
“Uncertain Ground” is an attempt at a generational statement focused on selected artistic attitudes connected with the regions of Małopolska and Silesia. Although its point of departure is regional in nature, the works on display address experiences that extend beyond the local context.