Marcin Owczarek Interview

Marcin Owczarek is a prolific photographer. He is fascinated with the influence of new technologies over human life, particulary within urban space. Focusing on the issues of mechanization and standardization, he tackles them in an anti-utopian style.

He is depicting the total capture of the spirit by the machine world. We had a chance to ask him a view questions:

EL: Your photographs have tremendous depth, do all the surrealistic elements have subtle meanings?

MO: Of course. Before starting new work, I always do a conceptual sketch which is very deliberate. I never use particular characters accidentaly. The universe I create and the reflection I want to transmit, must be shaped in perfect way.

In case of characters I employ for example animals - as symbols or allegories. In this way they reflect human's virtue or imperfection. In many of my images I use birds since they symbolize the human soul trapped in the mortal body. Other example which I use very often is raven. The raven has significant reference. In many cultures this bird appears with many higher attributes for example it is believed, that raven can be trained to speak and then being an oracle. Ravens were also messengers of Gods. In Persia these birds were connected with the God of Light and Sun. In my latest work called 'The Last Drop of Water' I employed elephants.

Elephant is a symbol of peace, strength, compassion and wisdom. In Tibet elephant holds the whole cosmos. On my image elephants are burning and they long for water. I think the interpretation is obvious.

Other example when I use monuments or buildings, these elements have also historical, metaphorical or symbolic connotations. For instance, the main buliding in my artwork 'The Keeper of the City Key' is library.

If we refer to the symbolic language, we learn that library is defined as the source of mystery, knowledge and might.

The library is also very closely related to labyrinth, that is why all these manekines in my image are forced to lead with labyrinth (of life).

By using various symbols and depth of mening intentionally, I want my art to be interpreted on many levels. Therefore you can also notice that there are many smaller images in one image I finish.

This subtle meanings tells you - you can open as many doors as you want and interpret my collages day after day in different way. Possibilities are endless.

EL: Do any other artists influence your work?

MO: I can honestly say that, I was always more inspired by writers and music than other artists (painters, filmmakers, photographers). The reason is, I always prefer to image than being given already imagined universe.

When you read books you need to imagine the world that was desribed in the book to yourself. The same story with music.

Apart from that I take inspiration/ influences from many different levels, but the most significant for me is: traveling as well as conversation with other people. I watch the dystopian, rapidly changing world around me and document my visions.

I also read a lot - books, newspapers.

I can not even imagine life without books and reading gives a great value of inspiration.

I was greatly influenced by: Antonin Artaud, Guy Debord , Walter Benjamin, Friedrich Nietzsche, Austin Osman Spare,'Tibetan Book of the Dead'...and many more authors.

EL: Do the dark undertones in your work make the work negative?

MO: The reason, why I use dark undertones or the apocaliptic language is that, I observe the world around us and report many negative evidences of human nature. My intention is not to make work negative. I don't want people to read them this way. My art is not dark or terrible, it simply give you the vision of naked life without masks, true life that we are afraid to see and accept. I think this pessimistic atmosphere comes from the fact, that I am sure artist should reveal world from underneath the mask. When we look at this world from underneath the mask, without "lipstick", we notice some kind of apocalyptic condition.

Other reason is that I try to grip this moment on human history, between the the terror of passing time and beauty of immortal Soul. This kind of atmosphere I want to create. On the other hand, to cast some optimistic light to debate, we remember that every civilation had/has its decay.

The Indians have the concept of eternal recurrence, idea which tells that time repeats the same pattern over and over again. According to this conception, now we live at the last phase of the great cycles called Kali Yuga which in Ancient Greek's cosmogony is called the Iron Age.

Hence, with the time being, when we finally reject all illusions we believe right now : welfare tyranny, jealousy, hate - we will understand the true nature of Life.

Maybe then, this dark Iron Age we are part of right now, will pass away and human beings will come back to to our divine spiritual potential and start to live in coexistence in Age of Gold.

EL: Have you ever thought of (or would you be interested in) taking your work into a film realm?

MO: To be honest no, I didn't think about film. What I thought about was to make project which would focus on animation.

It would be very, very laborious process which because of permanent deficiency of time, I can not fulfill right now. When I finish all my current projects, there will be time for animation.

Anyway in the reference to the concept of creating film on my works, I find it very interesting idea. But here I would need someone who has the necessary knowledge of making films.

I have no experience in this area. All in all, I am open for the propositions.

EL: Tell us a bit about what you're working on now.
MO: This year I already started new series called 'Letters from the Paradise'.

Title is sarcastic and of course has nothing common with Paradise. I am still working on the conceptual part of this project, but what can I say now is that the main theme will center on the abuse of animals.

Apart from that I keep working on my current portfolio 'Dystopy Land' which I started working on at the beginning of 2011. This is an open-ended project, which I constantly develop.

This project mainly focuses on all modern cities as well as condition of people living inside these cities.

Moreover I also intend to create few sculptures which will correspond with the 'Dystopy Land' project. Hope to achieve it in 2014, since first sketches for the sculptures I did in 2012.

I cooperate with ART 14 Gallery in Brugge, Belgium (http://www.art-14.com) where my works can be seen in person and are presented in permanent collection.