Plan B: Intra-Active Becoming in Art and Beyond 3205219457, 9783205219453

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Zuzana Križalkovičová

PLAN B

INTRA-ACTIVE BECOMING IN ART AND BEYOND KAREN BARAD | MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ | SAMUEL BECKETT THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

Foreword by Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein Photographs by Boris Vaitovič

Böhlau

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Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek: The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data available online: https://dnb.de. © 2024 by Böhlau, Zeltgasse 1, 1080 Vienna, Austria, an imprint of the Brill-Group (Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands; Brill USA Inc., Boston MA, USA; Brill Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore; Brill Deutschland GmbH, Paderborn, Germany; Brill Österreich GmbH, Vienna, Austria) Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Hotei, Brill Schöningh, Brill Fink, Brill mentis, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Böhlau, V&R unipress and Wageningen Academic Editorial design: Tsai-Ju Wu Cover image: Onur Turna Proofreading: Gavin Cowper Special insight: Synne Genzmer

Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage | www.vandenhoeck-ruprecht-verlage.com ISBN: 978-3-205-21946-0

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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. Samuel Beckett

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FOREWORD Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein

PLAN B: is: PLAN A – is a queer-ecological vehicle that moves with fervour through the interstices of synesthetic thought and world­views, nourished by concepts of non-modernity. – The two are permeable; pages of performative countermovement, in which the boundaries of language and the situatedness of knowledge are made porous through physical agency. – A pas de deux of boundary dissolution and transgression, each indebted to the density of their being. PLAN B, which is PLAN A: bears eloquent witness to the fact that: aesthetics and society, form and understanding, alienation and consciousness have always been intertwined dynamics of translation, networking and synergy.

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PLAN B: is: PLAN A – is an inspiring and groundbreaking work that­opens up new horizons with an intra-disciplinary and intra-­active approach to our world and insightfully demonstrates how the creative power of thought and action can be utilized in an ever-changing context. This book is a much-needed guide to reshaping our thinking and action, insofar as art and sciences are not merely representative and imitative endeavours, but open-ended processes that leave neither the objects involved nor the subjects unchanged and which possess profound commonalities.

PLAN B: is: PLAN A

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to all of the agents – both human and non-human – who have been involved in this study for their various intraactions which have enabled me to co-create this text. I want to express my genuine and deep gratitude to Felicitas ThunHohenstein for her agency and support. Her thought-provoking theoretical contributions and the dynamic coexistence of our ideas constituted the foundation from which this work emerged and engendered a fertile environment for its development. Simul­ taneously, I extend my heartfelt thanks for her contribution to this publication. My deep respect and gratitude is also due to Boris Vaitovič for his exceptional contributions. His previously unpublished pho­to­ graphs forged an intriguing coexistence within the scope of the publication. A huge thank you to Tsai-Ju Wu for her active role in co-creating this work. Her creativity and expertise in the field of graphic design have greatly contributed to creating a space for the potential of this book. Stefan Schmitzer deserves recognition and my profound appreciation for the depth of his cooperation and his willingness to push the boundaries of my theoretic frameworks.

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I especially want to thank Gavin Cowper for his positive attitude and professionalism which have turned the demanding work of proofreading into a pleasant experience. His agency and language skills have contributed greatly to the quality of this text. My warm thanks go to Synne Genzmer for her watchful eye, her keen sense of detail and kind support with the finalization of the text. Her active engagement and collaborative effort truly enhanced the intra-action of my ideas. I extend my thanks to Waltraud Moritz from Böhlau Publishing for facilitating the communication with Sarah Stoffaneller. Sarah, I thank you deeply for your exceptional synergy and assistance in preparing the book. My cordial thanks go out to the Slovak Art Council for its crucial role in supporting my research over the course of 2020. Special thanks are due to Stanislava Molčanová and Anna Šmidriaková for their agency and professionalism which have contributed greatly to the results of this work. Julia Jachs from the Kontakt Collection Vienna was instrumental in the intraaction process with the works of Maria Bartuszová, and her open­ ness and reflexivity deserve special recognition. →

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I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Katarína Nadaská, Miroslav Klebanand, and Ján Kovačič from the East Slovak Gallery in Košice for their intra-action in providing materials for the works of Maria Bartus­zová and Juraj Bartusz. My honest thanks to Désirée Hailzl, Peter Gumpinger and Wolfgang Mattiasch from Bildrecht for their invaluable expertise and guidance. Johannes Huber was a key contributor in the technical aspect of this work, and his agency was important in forging links between theory and practical appli­ca­tions. I also thank Onur Turna for our conversations aimed at co-creating mean­ings and expanding our knowledge of creative analysis. I particularly thank my friend Lenka Oberauer for her participation and agency in this research. Her support and longstanding friendship have been a strong pillar in the development of this work. I would also like to offer my warmest thanks to Ondrej Zoričák for his last-minute magic and shared brainwaves. My most heartfelt thanks go to my family for showing me that in all relationships, every actor can be a co-creator in creating a space where the possibilities for others can flourish through their agency.

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This study is a continuation of the doctoral work which I completed at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 2021. One of the goals of the study was to expand the canon of historical thinking about Western art and to introduce, among others, female artists from lesser-known regions of Central Europe whose work features intra-active and different approaches to materials. When I first set out on this research, little did I realise how the field would be transformed in 2022. Akademické texty by mali používať inkluzívny jazyk, aby sa stali relevantnými a prístupnými pre všetkých. Podporujem otázky genderovej identity v rámci širšieho kontextu rozmanitosti a rovnosti a otvorene prijímam právo všetkých jednotlivcov voliť si vlastnú identitu. V slovenskej verzii tejto štúdie sa vyhýbam používaniu rodového jazyka, pretože spôsoby gramatického rodového označovania nie sú zatiaľ jednotné.

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OBSAH PLÁN B 16 I. PERFORMATIVITA MATERIÁLU: POZADIE, CIEĽ, METÓDY 20 II. KAREN BARAD: INTRA-AKTÍVNE STÁVANIE SA 30 III. MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ: INTRA-AKTÍVNE STÁVANIE SA V UMENÍ A ZA NÍM 40 IV. SAMUEL BECKETT: EXISTENCIÁLNY EXKURZ 142 V. MOTÝLÍ EFEKT 170 CONCLUSIO 210 BIBLIOGRAFIA 214

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CONTENT PLAN B 17 I. MATERIAL PERFORMATIVITY: BACKGROUND, AIMS, METHODS 21 II. KAREN BARAD: INTRA-ACTIVE BECOMING 31 III. MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ: INTRA-ACTIVE BECOMING IN ART AND BEYOND 41 IV. SAMUEL BECKETT: EXISTENTIAL EXCURSUSES 143 V. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 171 CONCLUSION 211 BIBLIOGRAPHY 214

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Ich tat jedoch nichts. Ich scheine zu sprechen,

matter is worlding in its materiality. Karen Barad

Le seul désir profond est le désir de l’objet. ni même de ce (celui ou celle) à qui je manque, de ce qui est parfaitement capable d’exister sans moi... c’est lui l’Autre,

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es ist nicht ich, über mich, es ist nicht über mich. Samuel Beckett

C’est-à-dire non pas de ce qui me manque, mais de celui ou celle à qui je ne manque pas, Celui à qui je ne manque pas, c’est l’altérité radicale. Jean Baudrillard

malé prázdno plné nekonečného vesmíru... Maria Bartuszová

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PLÁN B Práve keď sa zdá, že nič nie je možné a všetko je stratené, zrodí sa Plán B. Proces hľadania situácie z iného uhla pohľadu, často vedie k objaveniu niečoho nového, zaujímavého. Plán B otvára nové možnosti, vytvára príležitosti pre flexibilitu a adaptáciu na rôzne situácie. Pri vytváraní alternatívnych plánov vznikajú nové spojenia s okolitým svetom; náhle sa odkrýva význam faktorov a možností, ktoré sme predtým nepovažovali za dôležité. Týmto spôsobom vnímame, spoznávame a spájame nové – iné – perspektívy, ktoré by nám inak unikli.

A v kontexte tejto štúdie? Plán B je pozitívnou skúsenosťou. Je cestou hľadania INÝCH možností, ktoré by možno zostali nepovšimnuté a ktoré nám umožňujú myslieť, vnímať a kreatívne konať.

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PLAN B Just when it seems that nothing is possible and everything is lost, Plan B is born. Yet the process of looking at a situation from a dif­ ferent perspective often leads to the discovery of something new, something interesting. Plan B opens up new possibilities, creates opportunities for flexibility and adaptations to different situations. As we develop alternative plans, new connections with the world are formed; we suddenly see the relevance of factors and possibi­ lities that we had not previously considered important. In this way, we perceive, recognize and connect new – other – perspectives that would otherwise elude us. And within the context of this study? Plan B is a positive experience. It is a way of seeking out NEW pos­ sibilities that might otherwise have gone unnoticed and which now allow us to think, perceive and act creatively.

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Spojitosti medzi Karen Barad, Mariou Bartuszovou, Samuelom Beckettom a Butterfly Effect-om nie sú zďaleka priamočiare, vznikajú na úrovni rozsiahlej škály intra-aktívnych myšlienok a kon­cepcií. Práce Bartuszovej, Barad a Becketta sa zaoberajú neistotou a kom­ plexnosťou nášho sveta a zdôrazňujú vplyv zdanlivo náhodných udalostí a drobných zmien na naše vnímanie a naše akcie v ňom. Butterfly Effect je dobre známym príkladom fenoménu, v ktorom aj najmenšie zmeny môžu viesť k nepredvídateľným, obrovským dôsledkom.

Hoci sa tieto reflexie sústreďujú na vyššie uvedené, uvedomujem si, že aj mnoho ďalších dynamických agentov, vrátane (ale nie obmedzene) Roland Barthes, Georges Bataille, Simone de Beauvoir, Walter Benjamin, Jane Bennett, Bibliodiversity, the bicycle, the Big Bang, Biodiversivity, Bioluminescence, Biomimikry, Black Holes, Black Lives Matter, books, Rosi Braidotti, Braille, Geta Brătescu, bread, Berthold Brecht, Niels Bohr, Judith Butler, Octavia Butler, by mohli byť viac ako obohacujúcimi.

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The connections between Karen Barad, Maria Bartuszová, Samuel Beckett and the Butterfly Effect are by no means straightforward and emerge at the level of an extensive range of intra-­active ideas and concepts. The work of Bartuszová, Barad and Beckett all ad­ dress the uncertainty and complexity of the modern world and emphasise the influence of seemingly random events and minor changes on our perception of the world and our actions within it. The Butterfly Effect is a well-known example of the phenomenon in which even the smallest changes can give rise to unpredictable, momentous consequences.

While the focus of these reflections falls on the four subjects mentioned above, I realize that many other dynamic agents could have offered their own distinctive contribution to Plan B, including (but not restricted to) Roland Barthes, Georges Bataille, Simone de Beauvoir, Walter Benjamin, Jane Bennett, Bibliodiversity, the bicycle, the Big Bang, Biodiversity, Bioluminescence, Biomimicry, Black Holes, Black Lives Matter, books, Rosi Braidotti, Braille, Geta Brătescu, bread, Berthold Brecht, Niels Bohr, Judith Butler and Octavia Butler.

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I. PERFORMATIVITA MATERIÁLU: POZADIE, CIEĽ, METÓDY

Súčasné prístupy v humanitných vedách a umeleckej praxi sú zvyčajne vnímané ako materiálno viazané reality, ktoré sa aktívne zapájajú do sveta tým, že mu dávajú špecifickú materiálnu podobu. Posúvame sa performatívnym smerom, v ktorom kooperujúce akademické praktiky zahŕňajú priamu materiálnu angažovanosť so svetom. V Baradovskej definícii matérie sa vnímanie a význam materiálov neustále mení, dopĺňa a nanovo redefinuje v širokom spektre disciplín. Aj diela výtvarného umenia sa môžu stať časovými kapsulami – intra-active agential realities, deklarujúcimi výraz doby, v ktorej vznikli, prehodnocujúcimi a uchovávajúcimi našu históriu, reflektujúcimi socio-politické, ekologické či kultúrne otázky. Ako? Načrtávam niekoľko z možných odpovedí.

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I. MATERIAL PERFORMATIVITY: BACKGROUND, AIMS, METHODS Contemporary approaches in the humanities and artistic practice are usually seen as materially bounded realities that actively en-­ gage with the world by granting it a specific material form. Stud­ies are increasingly moving in a performative direction in which colla­ borative academic practices involve direct material engage­ment with the world. In Barad’s definition of matter, the perception and meaning of materials is constantly shifting, being complemented and redefined across a wide range of disciplines. Even works of visual art can become time capsules, intra-active agential realities which represent an expression of the time in which they were created, reassessing and preserving our history, reflecting socio-political, ecological or cultural issues. How do works of art come to encompass such a breadth of meaning? In this study, I will outline some possible answers to this question.

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I . PERFOR M AT I V I TA M AT ERI Á LU: P OZ A DIE , CIEĽ , ME TÓDY

Východiskovou tézou tejto štúdie je predpoklad, že každý mater­iál obsahuje potenciál konať. Materiál je aktívny, neustále sa meniaci, produktívny a produkovaný aktér.¹ V dialógoch, či radšej „X-logoch“ medzi umeleckými dielami, teo­ retickými koncepciami a situáciami, ktoré ich obklopujú a ktoré z nich vznikajú, sa umelecké diela stávajú ani nie tak analyzovateľnými udalosťami alebo zážitkami, ale v tejto štúdii skôr experimental agential realities, v ktorých ľudské a neľudské materiály spolupôsobia – intra-act-ujú a stávajú sa prepojenými.

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I . M AT ERI A L PERFOR M AT I V I T Y: B ACKGROUND, A IM S , ME T HODS

The starting point of this study is the proposition that every material contains the potential to act. Material can be understood as an active, constantly changing, productive and produced actor.¹ In dialogues, or rather “X-logues”, between artworks and the theoretical concepts and situations that surround them and are evoked by them, artworks emerge less as analysable events or experiences and more as experimental agential realities in which human and non-human materials become intractable.

1 The concepts of ANT (Actor-Network Theory), OOO (Object-Oriented Ontology) and AR (Agential Realism) serve as an anti-thesis to anthropocentric approaches to the world and emphasize the importance of the process of creating relationships that constitute reality through mate­ri­al practices of agency. ANT emphasizes the ability of things to act and argues that the acting subject is always part of an actor-network, co-acting with other actors, such as animals, things, institutions, climate conditions or machines. While AR and ANT suggest that objects are de­termined by their relationships in terms of their properties and actions, OOO emphasizes the autonomy of objects. In the context of works of art, these concepts can help deepen our un­derstanding of objects, their materiality and their interconnected relationships with the en­vironment.

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I . PERFOR M AT I V I TA M AT ERI Á LU: P OZ A DIE , CIEĽ , ME TÓDY

CIEĽOM je ukázať, ako vizuálne umenie, aj mimo jazykových pojmov, môže prekonať jazykové koncepty a kombináciou materiálov a informá­cií získaných z vonkajšieho sveta, môže konať a vytvárať jednu z množstva potencionálnych realít a ovplyvniť, (z)meniť, posunúť a rozšíriť naše skúsenosti. Umelecké diela chápem ako intra-akcie – ako premenné, časovopriestorové procesy spojené s neustálym stávaním sa. O materiáli | matérii budem teda uvažovať ako o efektívnom a situačnom, produkovanom a zároveň produktívnom aktérovi, ko-producentovi, rozvíjajúcom svoju vlastnú prítomnosť, v otvorenom, neustále prebiehajúcom procese stávania sa.

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I . M AT ERI A L PERFOR M AT I V I T Y: B ACKGROUND, A IM S , ME T HODS

THE AIM is to show how visual art can move beyond linguistic concepts to act and create a specific reality from a range of many potential realities by combining materials and information obtained from the external world and thereby influence, (re)shape, shift and expand our experiences. Artworks are understood as intra-actions – as variable, spatiotemporal processes linked to an ongoing process of becoming. Materials themselves can be considered as effective and situa­ tional, both produced and productive co-creators which develop their own presence in an open, perpetual process of becoming.

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I . PERFOR M AT I V I TA M AT ERI Á LU: P OZ A DIE , CIEĽ , ME TÓDY

METÓDY Performatívne metódy sú zaužívanou súčasťou akademického výskumu a v širšom zmysle zahŕňajú akúkoľvek metodológiu, zahrňujúcu stelesnené intra-akcie s prameňmi, nástrojmi a materiálmi, ktoré nie sú tradične vnímané ako súčasť humanitných výskumov. Tieto metódy často využívajú aj inovatívne teoreticko-praktické prístupy, ako sú dejiny poznania, intersekcionality a kvalitatívne metódy, ktoré kombináciou interdisciplinárnych metodologických prístupov z oblasti umenia, kultúrnych a rodových štúdií ako aj literatúry či prírodovedných vied umožňujú odpovedať na výskumné otázky inak. Takýto prístup môže viesť k alternatívnym spôsobom vnímania sveta a seba samých, pretože umožňuje vytvárať nové reality a zmeny perspektív na svet.

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I . M AT ERI A L PERFOR M AT I V I T Y: B ACKGROUND, A IM S , ME T HODS

METHODS Performative methods are a well-established approach in aca­de­ mic research and, in a broader sense, encompass any methodo­­logy involving embodied intra-action with sources, tools and ma­te­rials which are not traditionally seen as part of humanistic research. These methods often use innovative theoretical-practical ap­proach­ es such as the history of knowledge, intersectionality and qualitative methods which, in combination with interdisciplinary metho­ dological approaches from the fields of art, cultural and gender studies and also literature and the natural sciences, offer radically different answers to research questions. This type of approach can lead to alternative ways of perceiving the world and the self, as it facilitates the creation of new realities and changes our perspective on the world.

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Boris Vaitovič Space, 2011

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

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II. KAREN BARAD: INTRA-AKTÍVNE STÁVANIE SA Intra-aktívne stávanie sa je kľúčovým konceptom teórie agential realism teoretickej fyzičky a filozofky v oblasti feministickej a kri­tickej teórie vedy, Karen Barad, zaoberajúcej sa tým, ako svet fung­uje a ako je ho možné poznávať. Prekonáva dualizmus medzi sub­jektom a objektom, argumentuje okrem iného aj ich vzájomné pre­pojenie vznikajúce v procesoch v intra-akcie, kde subjekty a objekty nie sú fixnými entitami, ale dynamickými a vzájomne prepojenými, neustále sa meniacimi fenoménmi.

Podstatou tohto prístupu je myšlienka, že veci neexistujú len „tam vonku“ – v externom prostredí, ale že naše vnímanie a konanie je neoddeliteľne spojené so svetom. Táto myšlienka vychádza z poz­ nania, že svet sa skladá z nekonečného množstva intra-aktívnych procesov, v ktorých sa veci navzájom ovplyvňujú a sú navzájom prepojené. Tieto procesy prebiehajú nielen medzi vecami, ale aj medzi ľuďmi a vecami, a preto je naše poznanie a vnímanie sveta formované týmito vzájomnými intra-akciami.

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II. KAREN BARAD: INTRA-ACTIVE BECOMING Intra-active becoming is a key concept in the theory of agential realism developed by Karen Barad, a theoretical physicist and phi­losopher who specialises in the field of feminist and critical approaches to the study of science. Agential realism addresses how the world functions and how it can be understood, rejecting the dualism of subject and object in favour of an insistence on their mutual interconnectedness that arises through the proces­ ses of intra-action. Subjects and objects are understood not as fixed entities but as dynamic and interconnected phenomena that undergo continuous processes of transformation. The essence of this approach is the idea that things do not exist merely in the external environment but that our perception and actions are inseparably connected to the world. The idea is based on the understanding that the world consists of an infinite num­ber of intra-active processes through which things influence each other and are interconnected. These interactive processes not only occur between things but also between people and things, and therefore our knowledge and perception of the world are shaped by these mutual intra-actions.

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II . K A REN B A R A D : IN T R A-A K T Í V NE S TÁVA NIE S A

Agential realism is a performative theory of the world that takes including human beings. Intra-activity is an inexhaustible dynamism These phenomena are real, but in a different sense of rather they are iteratively enacted through and as

Agential realism ponúka nové - iné chápanie aj toho, ako sa ako ľudia zapájame do sveta a ako formujeme svoje poznatky a vnímanie. Je to dôležitý prístup, ktorý ponúka potenciálny spôsob, ako pochopiť a vnímať matériu a veci inak, rozširujúc pritom rozsah našej analýzy aj za rámec jazykových konceptov. Dôraz kladie na kľúčový aspekt agency – silu a účinnosť matérie a umožňuje tak nové konceptuálne zmeny, pri ktorých sa agency vzťahuje nielen na ľudí, ale aj na veci a neživý prírodný svet ako aktívnych účastníkov tvorby sveta, schopných formovať svoje prostredie a spolupodieľať sa na vytváraní vzťahov.

Agency nie je fixnou vlastnosťou, ale skôr neustálym stávaním sa, ktoré vzniká prostredníctvom intra-akcie – vzájomného pôsobenia a spolupôsobenia rôznych entít a procesom vytvárania vzájoných konštitutívnych vzťahov a zmien vo svete.

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II . K A REN B A R A D : IN T R A-AC T I V E BECOMING

account of the role of intra-activity in the constitution of things, that configurates and reconfigurates relations of space-time-matter. the term that commonly used: they do not simply exist; part of the ongoing entangled fabric of natureculture.²

Agential realism offers a new or other understanding of how we as humans can engage with the world and shape our knowledge and perception. It is an important approach in terms of this study because it offers a potential means of understanding and percei­ ving matter and things differently, extending the scope of our an­a­lysis beyond even linguistic concepts and frameworks. It em­pha­ sizes the crucial aspect of agency – the power and efficacy of matter – and enables new conceptual shifts in which agency ap­ plies not only to humans, but also to things and the non-living natural world as active participants in world-making, capable of shaping their environment and co-constituting relationships. Agency is not a fixed property but rather an ongoing achievement which arises through intra-action – the mutual influence and co-­ constitution of various entities and processes which create mutually constitutive relationships and effect changes in the world.

2. Barad, in Biagioli, 1999.

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‘Intra-action’ signifies the mutual constitution of entangled agencies. there are separate individual agencies that precede their interaction, prcede, but rather emerge through, their intra-action. [...] they don’t exist

Stručne: Agency is ‘doing‘ or

Táto perspektíva uznáva materialitu sveta a aktívnu úlohu, ktorú matéria zohráva pri formovaní našich skúseností, agency je dynamism. [...] Agency is not an attribute The universe is agential

Svet teda nie je statickým pozadím, na ktorom sa odohráva (aj) ľudská činnosť, ale skôr dynamickou a neustále sa vyvíjajúcou entitou, ktorú formujú intra-akcie rôznych agencies.

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That is, in contrast to the usual ‘interaction’, which assumes that notion of intra-action recognizes that distinct agencies do not agencies are only distinct in relation to their mutual entanglement; as individual elements.³

Put succinctly: ‘being‘ in its intra-activity.⁴

This perspective acknowledges the materiality of the world and the active role that matter plays in shaping our experiences. Agency is but the ongoing re-configuring of the world. intra-activity in its becoming.⁵

From this perspective, the world is not a static backdrop onto which human activity (also) is projected but is instead a dynamic and constantly evolving entity which is shaped by intra-actions of various agencies.

3 Barad, 2007, p. 33. 4 Ibid., p. 178. 5 Ibid., p. 141.

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Tento rozšírený pohľad v myslení matérie – zhmotnenia reality, zahŕňajúci širokú interdisciplinárnosť od prírodného sveta po sociálno-spoločenské prostredie, je aplikovateľný a užitočný v rôznych úrovniach myslenia, aj vo výtvarnom umení.

Toto tvrdenie vychádza z faktu, že agential realism je spôsobom chápania ekológie, politiky, etiky a širších kontextov akýchkoľvek aktov pozorovania a praxe poznania. Predstavuje hlboko prepo­ jený spôsob porozumenia, zdôrazňujúci skutočnosť, že nič vo svojej podstate nie je oddelené od čohokoľvek iného, ale všetko je so všetkým prepojené. Nepozeráme sa na svet zvonku, svet je v nás a poznania získavame, pretože sme zo sveta a sme jeho súčasťou v jeho diferencovanom stávaní sa.

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This expanded perspective on the materiality of the world, which encompasses a wide breadth of interdisciplinarity ranging from the natural world to the socio-cultural environment, is applicable and useful at various levels of thinking, including those of the visual arts. This statement is based on the fact that agential realism offers a means of understanding ecology, politics, ethics and the wider contexts and circumstances of any acts of observation and know­ ledge practice. It represents a deeply interconnected way of un­der­standing, stressing the fact that no single object exists in iso­lation from the world; instead, we can perceive that everything around us is entangled with everything else. We cannot look at the world from the outside; the world is within us, and we gain knowledge because we are of the world and its process of differentiated becoming.

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Vo výtvarnom umení, môže viesť k objavovaniu nových spôsobov práce s materiálmi a prostredím, čím sa otvárajú nové možnosti tvorivého vyjadrenia. Môže nám tiež poskytnúť väčšie porozumenie tomu, ako sú umelecké diela a umelecké rozhodnutia prepo­ jené s materiálnymi, sociálno-spoločenskými, politickými či eko­logickými a ďalšími procesmi vo svete. Umelecké diela nie sú iba pasívnymi objektmi, existujúcimi nezávisle od prostredia alebo jeho vnímania, ale sú súčasťou siete vzájomných vzťahov, ktoré sú formované samotným prostredím a všetkými ľudskými aj neľudskými aktérmi, ktorí sa na ňom podieľajú. Proces tvorby a vnímania umeleckých diel je teda intra-aktívnym procesom, ktorý ovplyvňuje a formuje nielen samotné diela, ale aj všetko, čo ich obklopuje.

V tomto zmysle je možné vnímať umelecké diela ako intra-aktívne stávanie sa s vlastnou agency – schopnosťou konať, a aktívne tak spoluvytvárať realitu.

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In the visual arts, this approach opens up the possibility of dis­co­ vering new ways of working with materials and the environment, generating entirely new fields of creative expression. It can also offer us a greater understanding of how artistic works and choices are interconnected with material, socio-cultural, political, ecolo­gi­ cal and other processes in the world. Artworks are not mere passive objects which exist independently of the environment or its perception but are instead part of a net-­­ work of mutual relationships that are shaped by the environment itself and by all of the actors, either human or non-human, which are involved within it. The process of creating and perceiving art­­ works is therefore an intra-active process that influences and shapes not only the works themselves but also everything surrounding them. In this sense, we can perhaps perceive artworks themselves as forms of intra-active becoming each with their own agency – the ability to act and to actively co-create reality.

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III. MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ: INTRA-AKTÍVNE STÁVANIE SA V UMENÍ A ZA NÍM STÁVANIE SA JE NIEČO, ČO PRENIKÁ MATÉRIOU A TAK JEJ UMOŽŇUJE EXISTOVAŤ. Za predpokladu, že kreatívny proces chápeme ako proces vzájomnej intra-akcie medzi rôznymi entitami, neživými objektmi alebo vecami⁶, aktívne sa spolu-podieľajúcimi na vytváraní sveta a jeho vzťahov, tak produkcia umeleckého diela nie je založená na akumulácii jednotlivých umeleckých praktík a názorov, ale na prístu­ poch integrujúcich intra-akciu a diferenciácie, ktoré vedú k novým formám a postupom. V kontexte ekológie praktík⁷ môže byť tvorba umeleckého diela chápaná ako ekosystém, v ktorom sa jednotlivé entity prelínajú a vznikajú prostredníctvom neustále sa meniacich procesov. Okolnosti, za ktorých sa tieto praktiky a postupy stávajú aktívnymi, sú určené všetkými zúčastnenými aktérmi, vrátane materiálov, umelcov, divákov a prostredia, v ktorom dielo vzniká, pôsobí a stáva sa aktívnym.

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III. MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ: INTRA-ACTIVE BECOMING IN ART AND BEYOND BECOMING IS SOMETHING THAT PERMEATES MATTER AND THUS ENABLES IT TO EXIST. If we understand the creative process as one of mutual intra-action between various entities, inanimate objects or things⁶ which actively co-contribute to the creation of the world and its relationships, then the creation of a work of art is not based on the accumula­tion of individual artistic practices and opinions but on approaches which integrate intra-action and differentiation to give rise to new forms and procedures. Within the context of the ecology of practices⁷, the creation of a work of art can be understood as an ecosystem in which indivi­ dual entities are intertwined and emerge through constantly chang­ing processes. The circumstances under which these practices and procedures become active are determined by all of the actors involved, including the materials, artists, audiences and the environment in which the work is created, operates and becomes active. 6 In this study, the terms “objects” and “things” are used while consciously excluding the dis­ tinc­tion that “object” is only conceivable in relation to a subject. Instead, the term “object” is understood more in the context of Duchamp’s object-based art (objet trouvé, readymade), Timothy Morton’s philosophy of hyperobjects, and Karen Barad’s concept of the mutual intra-­ activity of objects and agencies. 7 The term “ecology of practices” was first introduced by the feminist science theorist Isabelle Stengers. Stengers, 2005, p. 185.

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MATERIALIZÁCIA MATERIÁLOV Materiál ako počiatočná podmienka umeleckého diela existoval vždy: V užšom zmysle slova materiál označuje východiskový mater­ iál každého umeleckého návrhu.⁸ Hranice medzi umením a materiálom každodenného života sa s príchodom avantgardy čoraz viac stierali. Jedným z ďalších možných zdôvodnených prístupov k použitiu (aj) iných materiálov, vyznačujúcim sa dôrazom na iné, možné, nezvyčajné a bezhraničné, je Kaprowove Legacy of Jackson Pollock (1958). Kaprow neohlásil nič menšie ako nový spôsob nazerania na svet, ktorý by bol materiálny a každodenný – argumentujúc tým, že každý materiál mohol byť umením adaptovaný a vzťahovaný na kontexty každodenného života. Umenie sa stalo prostredím – environmentom „pohlcujúcim“ divácke publikum:

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MATERIALS MATTER The issue of what materials can represent has always served as a starting point in the creative process: In a narrow sense, material designates the starting material of every artistic design.⁸ The boundaries between art and the materials of everyday life be­­came increasingly blurred with the arrival of the avant-garde. One possible approach to the use of other materials which is cha­r­ac­ terized by an emphasis on the different, possible, unusual and boundless was outlined in Kaprow’s book Legacy of Jackson Pollock­ (1958). Kaprow boldly proposed nothing less than a new way of looking at the world that would be both material and quotidian, arguing that every material could be adapted and related to the context of everyday life. Art became an environment into which the viewing public could be subsumed:

8 Wagner, 2002, p. 867.

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Objects of every sort are materials for the new art: paint, chairs, food, a thousand other things that will be discovered by the present generation the world we have always had about us but ignored, but garbage cans, police files, hotel lobbies; seen in store windows [...] artists will discover out of ordinary things the meaning of ordinariness. real meaning. But out of nothing they will devise the

V snahe nájsť a zachytiť význam každodenných vecí, neusilujúc sa o to, aby sa veci robili neobyčajnými, alebo zvláštnymi, ale skôr hľadať a nájsť ich skutočný význam – v zmysle vytvoriť umelecké die­lo z „ničoho“, zmeniť pohľad na svet, odhaliť krásu v tichu a prázdnote, možno vytvoriť dielo aj z „obyčajného“ chleba, z „obyčajnej“ žuvačky, „obyčajnej“ sadry či motýlích krídel.

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electric and neon lights, smoke, water, old socks, a dog, movies, of artists. Not only will those bold creators show us, as if for the first time, they will disclose entirely unheard happenings and events, found in and on the streets; and sensed in dreams and horrible accidents. They will not try to make them extraordinary but will only state their extraordinary and then maybe nothingness as well.⁹

Art is created from “nothing”, an active attempt to identify and capture the meaning of everyday objects without idealising them, revealing their true significance and changing. A work of art can be made from “ordinary” plaster, from simple sculptural materials, yet it still possesses the capacity to change our perspective on the world and demonstrate the beauty which lies in silence and emptiness – meaning that a work of art can be made from “ordinary” bread, chewing gum, plaster or butterfly wings.

9 Kaprow quoted in Kelley, 1993, p. 9.

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© The Easton Foundation | Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

Louise Bourgeois Avenza 1968-1969

Possibility is not a luxury;

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My father talked incessantly. I never had the opportunity to say any­ thing. So I began to shape small things out of bread. When someone is always talking and what they say hurts very much, then you can dis­tract yourself in this way. You focus on doing something with your fingers.10 Louise Bourgeois

From her earliest childhood, Louise Bourgeois made art with bread as a means of coping with painful situations, and in her later career bread motifs regularly fea­tured in her work in combination with other mate­rials such as latex or glass fibre. The latex form titled Avenza was originally created from plaster, and a plaster base supports the final form of the latex cast. The title of the work refers to the Carrara region in Tuscany where Bourgeois spent time in the late 1960s. The de­sign of the piece evolved greatly from the early versions of the work, and Bourgeois re­worked the motif in further plastic versions, including Avenza Revisited II.

it is as crucial as bread. Judith Butler

10 Bourgeois quoted in Bernadac, Obrist, 2001, n. p.

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Šachové figuríky vytvorené z chleba sa stali myšlienkovým únikom pred nekonečnými výsluchmi a bolesťou ľudskej existencie, ktorej bol vystavený Dr. B. v Šachovej novele Stefana Zweiga. Aj Alina Szapocznikow, preživšia holokaustu, neostala ušetrená ťažkým osudom.

Ich versteckte also zunächst das Buch unter der Matratze und die ich mir von meinem Brot absparte, in selbstverständlich lächerlich unzurechtzumodeln; nach endlosem Bemühen könnte ich es schließlich Position zu rekonstruieren. [...] Ich verwirrte mich in den ersten Tagen immer wieder von

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The chess figures moulded from bread serve as a mental escape against the interminable interrogations and the pain of human existence to which the character of Dr. B. was exposed in the novella Chess by Stefan Zweig. The Holocaust-survivor Alina Szapocznikow too was no stranger to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

riss nur die erste Seite heraus. Dann begann ich aus kleinen Krümeln, vollkommener Weise die Figuren des Schachs, König, Königin und so weiter, unternehmen, auf dem kariertem Bettuch die im Schachbuch abgebildete unablässig; fünfmal, zehnmal, zwanzigmal musste ich diese eine Partie Anfang an beginnen.11

11 Zweig, 2001, p. 282-284.

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© Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

Alina Szapocznikow Photosculptures | Fotorzeźby 1971-2017

The other day, Saturday, tired from having spent hours polishing my

Rolls-­Royce in pink Portuguese marble, I sat in the sun and day dream­ ed as I mechanically chewed a bit of gum. In shaping with my mouth odd-looking and bizarre forms, I suddenly realized what an extraordinary collection of abstract sculptures was moving between my teeth. One has only to photograph and enlarge my masticated creations in order to achieve a sculptural presence. Chew well then. Look around you. Creation lies just between dreams and daily work.12 Alina Szapocznikow

12 Szapocznikow, 1971. I would like to express my gratitude to Agata Jakubowska for clarifying the connections to Alina Szapocznikow.

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The quote by Alina Szapocznikow’s words emphasize the importance of easily accessible materials and everyday objects, noting their potential for the creation of works of art. Creativity and artistic inspiration can arise from unexpected sour­ces and situations, as can be seen in the case of the photographic work from her series titled Photosculptures | Fotorzeźby, 1971. This monochromatic photographic composition, a 24 × 30 cm work consisting of twenty gelatin silver prints and collage elements on paper, was created after Szapocznikow had been invited to partici­pate in the 1970 exhibition titled Art Concepts from Europe by Pierre Restany and Alfred Bonino. As her contribution, she presented a text titled My American Dream in which she delineated her conception, ultimately left uncompleted, to create a 2 : 1 scale marble model of a Rolls-Royce automobile. Regrettably, this vision survives only in the form of two reduced-scale iterations, each measuring 80 cm in length. The first of these, created in 1969, was crafted from Carrara marble and commissioned by Hervé Poulain, a distinguished collector with a penchant for automotive themes in art. The second, executed in 1971, was carved from pink Portuguese marble. The motif of the Rolls-Royce is integral to the artistic narra­tive provided by the accompanying text to the 1971 Photosculptures which, together with photographic images of forms fashioned from chewing gum left adhered to a shelf, creates a striking visual tableau. This photographic composition articulates the overarching thematic interpretations that Alina Sza­ pocznikow explored across her entire oeuvre, reflecting her profound fascination with the human essence and its identity and transformative potential. The Photosculptures series stand as a conceptual embodiment of Szapocznikow’s proclivity for establishing new – different – other contexts and meanings within the visual realm by transposing two-dimensional photographic compositions into multidimensional sculptural configurations. This approach signifies the fu­ sion of aesthetic sensibilities with conceptual depth, encapsulating the core of her artistic practice.

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© The George and Helen Segal Foundation | Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

George Segal Woman in a Restaurant Booth 1961

I remember my life through objects, and I also look at these objects ‘plastically’ […], with an understanding of what these shapes are. And the way in which people relate or don’t relate to these shapes in a human way also intrigues me. [and further supplemented in Tuchmann’s words] Rather than passively observing, a visitor to a Segal exhibition is drawn in to become an uneasy participant. We know and have used these objects, but how our bodies have been transformed!13 George Segal

13 Segal quoted in Tuchmann, 1984, p. 24; Tuchmann, 1984, p. 25

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George Segal’s perception of the world may also be related to his interest in the behaviour of objects in a non-human sense. Objects can become part of our identity, and the use of everyday inanimate objects and materials, such as the plasterwork figure sipping a cup of coffee, can represent their agency as a means of co-creating and participating in the world around us. This leads us to examine George Segal’s Woman in a Restaurant Booth, 1961, a composition featuring var­ ious objects such as a table, a bench, a plaster bandage sculpture of a woman and an empty coffee cup. The dimensions of this installation are approximately 130 cm × 175 cm × 110 cm. This artistic creation is part of the permanent collection of mumok in Vienna. Segal developed a unique method of modelling the human body using live models to create plaster casts that interact with lifeless everyday objects. The installation evokes feelings of confinement, isolation and internal withdrawal into one’s own world. This profound artistic expression resonates with the concept of intra-activity, in which the boundaries between living and non-living entities become blurred, giving rise to a new intertwined reality. As we will see further, similar themes of isolation and internalization can be found in the works of Samuel Beckett whose nameless main characters grapple with the erosion of identity and the ever-changing nature of self-perception. The characters’ relentless introspection and internal dialogues reflect upon similar themes to those found in Segal’s installation. Exploring Segal’s Woman in a Restaurant Booth offers us an insight into the continually evolving nature of human perception and self-awareness, not only at an individual level but also in relation to collective consciousness and its adaptation within the broader context of the noosphere.

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Rather than passively watching, a visitor to a Segal We know and have used these objects, but

Aj tieto prístupy umožňujú vytvárať umelecké diela z „ničoho“ a okrem iného aj rozširovať naše chápanie toho, čo môže byť považované za umelecké dielo.

K prázdnote inak, respektíve k prázdnote plnej nekonečnej energie a možností sa ešte vrátime. Najprv sa však zameriame na perfor­ ma­tívny rozmer umeleckých diel. Myšlienkami Dorothey von Han­ tel­mann, performatív znamená istú rovinu produkcie významu, ktorá je vždy – vedome či nevedome, vlastná každému umeleckému dielu a to jeho rozmeru produkujúcej reality. Performativita umeleckého diela sa stáva realitou, ktorú dielo vytvára na základe svojej existencie v čase, priestore a situácii.15

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exhibition is drawn in to become an uneasy participant. how our bodies have been transformed!14

These approaches also enable the creation of works of art from every­day objects; essentially produced from “nothing”, approaches such as these can expand or transform our perceptions of what can be considered a work of art. We will return to the significance of the other aspect of emptiness, or rather that of full emptiness, a richness of meaning, energy and possibilities, but first let us turn our attention to the performative dimension of artworks. According to Dorothea von Hantelmann, the performative signifies a certain level of semantic production which is always inherent in each work of art, whether consciously or un­consciously, and constitutes its dimension of producing reality. The performativity of an artwork becomes a reality which is created by the work itself in relation to its existence in time, space and situation.15

14 Tuchmann, 1984, p. 25. 15 von Hantelmann, 2007, p. 11.

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Dieter Mersch naznačuje možnosť ďalšej reflexie nad vznikajúcou realitou nielen v kontexte každého umeleckého diela, ale aj v kon­texte každej jednotlivej akcie. V tomto poňatí by každý obraz, každý objekt, každá aktivita – nech už by bola akokoľvek nenápadná, každé (ešte alebo už) neviditeľné gesto, každý dotyk ruky, každá jemná línia, vgravírovaná, vpísaná, vtlačená, či odtlačená do materiálu, to všetko má performatívny charakter. Všade totiž máme dočinenia s aktmi prisvojenia si – Akte der Aneignung –, pričom spôsoby a prostriedky, ktorými sa uskutočňujú, sa odhalia až v samotnom akte uskutočnenia sa – Vollzug-u.16 This act of ‘showing

Performativita má teda schopnosť vytvárať realitu. Z tejto schopnosti vznikajú ďalšie možnosti konania.

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Dieter Mersch indicates the possibility of further reflection on the emerging reality not only in the context of every work of art but also in the context of every individual action. In this understanding, every painting, every object, every activity – no matter how unobtrusive – every invisible gesture, every touch of a hand, every subtle line engraved, inscribed, pressed or imprinted into the ma­ terial; all of these would possess a performative character. Acts of appropriation – Akte der Aneignung –, therefore occur at every step of the creative process, the methods and means of which are only apparent in the act of their execution – their Vollzug.16 itself’ is performative.17

The performative, therefore, has the ability to create reality, and this capacity engenders further possibilities of action.

16 Mersch, 2002, p. 290. 17 Ibid.

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AKO A AKÉ REALITY MÔŽE UMELECKÉ DIELO VYTVORIŤ?

Reality môžu vychádzať z každodennej reality, môžu byť jej súčasťou – v zmysle, sme zo sveta, ale zároveň sa môžu stať agential rea­lities, zohrať aktívnu úlohu pri konštruovaní sveta a vnímaní iných realít. Na tejto báze, socha nie je len assemblage bronzových alebo mramorových tvarov a foriem ale je intra-akciou s vlastnými vlastnosťami a možnosťami

We must be clear that when it comes to atoms, The poet, too, is not nearly so concerned with describing facts

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WHAT REALITIES CAN AN ARTWORK CREATE AND HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED? Realities can originate from everyday reality while simultaneously forming a part of it, in the sense that we ourselves are from the world. However, they can also become agential realities which play an active role in constructing the world and the perception of oth­er realities. On this basis, a sculpture is not just an assemblage of bronze or marble shapes and forms, but rather an intra-­action with its own properties and possibilities.

language can be used only as in poetry. as with creating images and establishing mental connections. Niels Bohr

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© Succession Brâncuși – All rights reserved - Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

Constantin Brâncuși A Sculpture for the Blind | Beginning of the World 1920

Matter must continue its natural life when modified by the hand of the sculptor. Constantin Brâncuși

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Another concept which builds upon this notion is a 1920 work by Constantin Brâncuși titled A Sculpture for the Blind | Beginning of the World. This delicate, immaculate oval-shaped object, crafted from veined marble, devoid of sharp angles and measuring 29.05 cm × 17.0 cm × 18.1 cm, is on permanent display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. John Quinn acquired it directly from the sculptor in 1922, originally giving it the title of Abstract Woman’s Head. In 1949, the sculpture was presented as Sculpture for the Blind, which relates to Henri-Pierre Roché’s recollection that the artwork had been exhibited at the Society of Independent Artists exhibition in New York in 1917. The title suggests that Brâncuși intended for the sculpture to be perceived through touch rather than by sight; the work was exhibited hidden within a pouch with two openings through which visitors to the exhibition could touch and handle the sculpture. The artwork raises ques­ t­­ions about how we intra-act with art, particularly in terms of tactile interventions. The central stability of Brâncuși’s work emanates from a focal point, evok­ing sensations of weightlessness and elegance. Although it evokes the idea of an egg, the sculpture is markedly enlarged, elongated and asymmetric, thereby accentuating its extraordinary innovativeness. The artwork establishes a harmonious relationship between material and form, akin to the hands of a sculptor, and transmutes our perceptual experience of reality. This transmutation propels the material towards a novel form of signification which us aligned with a perfor­ mative ap­proach to art. Spectators are thus invited to partake in this creative process, fostering visual and cognitive linkages that transcend the limitations of verbal communication. As we shall explore further, the tactile sculptures created by the sculptor Maria Bartuszová for the visually impaired serve as another com­ pelling exemplar of art which transcends the boundaries of visual perceptual experience, enabling active participation of individuals with varying sensory per­ceptions in the realm of visual art and beyond.

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© photo: Ondřej Bouška

Kristýna Španihelová Butterfly Wings 2021

Die bildende Kunst kann also insofern als Paradigma homogene und expansive Perspektiven in ein treten und sie sich in einer permanenten

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The presence of the artwork Butterfly Wings, 2021, with dimensions of 100 × 100 ×  35 mm, a work which forms part of the artistic cycle I Hear the Land Whispering, makes itself felt immediately, and not only through its aesthetic impact. Composed of butterflies with outstretched wings, peat moss, copper and stainless steel, it draws us into a multifaceted world of artistic expression, movement and transformation. The butterflies constitute an integral aspect of an artistic experiment in which the artistic process permeates the realm of a research space, evoking the multi-layered character of an enclosed world. Their delicate beauty elicits a desire for freedom and flight. The work can be perceived as an ecological force prompting us to contemplate the significance of nature conservation and our impact on ecosystems. Inspired by the quote about a butterfly that does not make wishes but instead acts, the author underscores the active role of art and humanity in processes of transformation and in manifesting a positive in­ fluence on the world. In this respect, the work opens up a space in which we can discuss complex themes concerning our relationship with nature and our capacity to effect change.

der zeitgenössischen Kultur gelten, als bei ihr performatives Spannungsverhältnis zueinander experimentellen Laborsituationen befinden. Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein

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Aj tieto koncepcie naznačujú, že umelecké diela nie sú nečinné či pasívne objekty čakajúce na svojho Godota prostredníctvom diváckej interpretácie, ale že majú vlastnú aktívnu agency – schopnosť konať a pôsobiť.

Ako konkrétne? Agential realities vznikajú v situáciách, keď kona­ nia a rozhodnutia všetkých zúčastnených aktérov a ich intra-akcií s prostredím vytvárajú špecifickú realitu a skutočnosť, zakaždým odlišnú od iných možných realít. Tieto reality nie sú iba jednodu­ cho determinované objektívnymi faktormi alebo prírodnými zákon-­ mi, sú vždy jedinečné, odlišujú sa od všetkých iných možných realít a sú ovplyvňované konaním a intra-akciami všetkých aktérov. Môžu pozostávať z umelcovho rozhodnutia realizovať dielo, samotného diela, materiálu, z ktorého bolo vytvorené, publika ako celku či konkrétnych jednotlivcov, ako napríklad neskôr uvidíme, nevidiacich alebo zrakovo postihnutých; ďalšími menej hmatateľnými aktérmi sú priestor a čas, v ktorých sa situácie odohrávajú, či napr. výsledné vzdelávacie a sociálne štruktúry.

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These concepts suggest that artworks are not merely inert or pas­ sive objects, awaiting their own Godot in the form of realisation through the interpretation of the viewer; in this understanding, the artwork is seen as possessing its own active ability to act and influence. Yet how is this effect achieved? Agential realities arise in situations where the actions and decisions of all of the involved actors and their intra-actions with the environment create a specific reality or actuality. These realities are always unique, differing from all other possible realities, but they are influenced by the actions and intra-actions of all of the actors involved rather than being determined by objective factors or natural laws. These intra-­ actions can consist of the artist’s decision to create the artwork, the artwork itself, the material from which it was cre­ated, the au­dience as a whole or as specific individuals, for exam­ple, as we shall see later, the blind and the visually impaired; oth­er less tangible actors include the space and time in which the situations unfold and the resulting educational and social structures.

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Exhibition view: KA Tekla, František and Marko Blažovci Louvre - Trnava - Košice Gallery 19 Bratislava 2022

I would like to extend my thanks to Eva Piovarcsyová and Peter Piovarcsy for the enlightening exhibition visit and the thought-provoking discussion on contemporary art.

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© photo: Peter Piovarcsy

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Umelecké diela majú schopnosť vytvárať nové, iné časopriestory, iné dimenzie, emocionálne stavy (a iné stavy), vzťahy a intra-akcie, ktoré sú ich súčasťou, ale majú tiež potenciál rozšíriť a prehlbovať naše porozumenie sveta a naznačovať nové spôsoby ko-existencie.

Schopnosť materiálu konať je rozpoznaná (nielen) vo výstavnom priestore, formujúcom okrem iného aj spoločensko-sociálny či sociálnopolitický priestor, v ktorom sa spoločnosť stretáva s umením. Materiálnosť ukotvuje umelecké dielo v realite v jej najrozmanitejších podobách. Skúsenosti a poznania sú v umeleckých dielach naplnené ďalšími konkrétnymi významami, ktoré sú prežívané a realizované silou a schopnosťou tela, ktorú získava zo sveta, ktorého je súčasťou. Slovami Karen Barad: Meaning is made possible through specific material practices. [...] Meaning performance of the world in its differential dance of intelligibility

Imagine a form that exudes vulnerability as well as resolve, pliancy as organic, that looks provisional and yet is timelessly self-contained, that is intimate eroticism while attesting to the most refined purity. If this seems

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Artworks have the ability to create new space-times, different dimensions, emotional states (and other states), relationships and intra-actions that form part of them, but they also have the potential to expand and deepen our understanding of the world, suggesting new ways of co-existence. The ability of material to act is also apparent in the exhibition space, a domain which also shapes the social and political space in which society encounters art. Materiality anchors an artwork with­in reality in all its various forms. The experiences and know­ ledge embedded in artworks are filled with specific other meanings that can be experienced and realized by the power and ability of the body, an entity which arises from the world while remaining part of it. In the words of Karen Barad: is not a property of individual words or groups of words but an ongoing and unintelligibility. It’s a causal intra-activity, part of the world.18

well as recalcitrance, that features geometric shapes and is nonetheless alive with tension but still imparts a sense of calm, that suggests the most impossible to conjure, then look at the work of Maria Bartuszová.19

18 Barad, 2007, pp. 148-149. 19 Smolik, 2015.

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Vulnerability is not winning or losing; when we have no control over the outcome. it’s our greatest

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it’s having the courage to show up and be seen Vulnerability is not weakness; measure of courage. Brené Brown

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MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ Od jej úmrtia v roku 1996 zaznamenala práca sochárky Marie Bartuszovej obrovský vzrast popularity a kritického uznania. V roku 2007 sa stala jednou z prvých československých umelkýň, ktorej práce boli vystavené na documente v Kasseli, čo bol pre ženu, ktorá vo väčšine svojej kariéry pracovala v relatívnej izolácii na východe Slovenska, prelomový úspech. Význam jej umeleckého odkazu získal ďalšie medzinárodné uznanie, keď bola jej práca vystavená na Benátskom Bienále v roku 2022. V rovnakom roku sa v Tate Modern v Londýne konala samostatná výstava jej diel. Prezidentkou Slovenskej republiky jej bol posmrtne udelený Rad Ľudovíta Štúra I. triedy. Maria Bartuszová sa narodila a vyrastala v Prahe: Bola som samotárske dieťa a ako jedináčik som mala dostatok nerušeného súkromia na kreslenie, čítanie, neskôr modelovanie. Moja matka rada čítala dobré romány a otec choval až posvätnú úctu ku knihám a umeniu a k ľuďom, ktorí toto vedia vytvoriť.20

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MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ Since her death in 1996, the work of the sculptor Maria Bartuszová has seen a huge surge in popularity and critical acclaim. In 2007 she became one of the first Czechoslovak female artists whose work was exhibited at documenta in Kassel, a pioneering achievement for a woman who had worked in relative isolation in the east of Slovakia for much of her career. The significance of her artistic legacy gained further international recognition when her work was showcased at the 2022 Venice Biennale. In the same year, a solo exhibition of her work was held at the Tate Modern in London. She was also posthumously awarded the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st Class by the President of the Slovak Republic. Maria Bartuszová was born and raised in Prague: I was a solitary child, and as an only child, I had enough uninterrupted privacy for drawing, reading, and later modelling. My mother enjoyed reading literature, and my father had a sacred respect for books and art and for the people who could create them.20

20 Bartuszová quoted in Lacková, 2006, p. 72.

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Bartuszová absolvovala Vysokú školu umeleckopriemyselnú (pred­ tým VŠUP, neskôr UMPRUM) v Prahe v roku 1961. Keďže však väčšinu svojej kariéry strávila na Slovensku alebo v slovenskej časti bývalého Československa, väčšina kunsthistorikov a kriti­kov ju dnes považuje skôr za slovenskú než českú umelkyňu. V roku 1963 sa spolu so svojím manželom, sochárom Jurajom Bar­tuszom (1933), presťahovala do Košíc, na východ Československa. Presun obmedzil Bartuszovej pracovné príležitosti, ale zároveň jej poskytol pozoruhodnú mieru umeleckej slobody. Mala vlastný ateliér a bola jednou z mála umelkýň, ktoré mali k dispozícii vlastné auto. Získa-

Documentation Centre of the East Slovak Gallery © photo: Milan Bobula

vala verejné zákazky a mohla sa venovať svojej umeleckej tvorbe.

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Bartuszová graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (formerly AAAD, now UMPRUM) in Prague in 1961, but because most of her career was spent in Slovakia or in the Slovak part of the former Czecho-slovakia, art historians and critics generally consider her to be more of a Slovak artist than a Czech artist. In 1963, she and her husband, the sculptor Juraj Bartusz (1933), relocated to the city of Košice in the far east of Czechoslovakia. Moving to the eastern Slovak region limited Bartuszová’s work op­ por­tunities, but it offered her a remarkable degree of artistic freedom. She ran her own studio and was one of the few female artists with access to her own car. She also received public commissions and could devote herself to her artistic work.

Maria Bartuszová Sitting Women, 1966

Luník II Housing Estate, Košice

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Maria Bartuszová Sitting Women, 1966

Luník II Housing Estate, Košice

To be free is not to have the power to do anything you like; it is to be able to surpass the given towards an open future; the existence of others as a freedom defines my situation and is even the condition of my own freedom. Simone de Beauvoir

Freedom does not mean unlimited power; it is instead an opportunity to move beyond the given framework and open up new perspectives. The art­­work Sitting Woman from 1964-1967, made of Bulgarian shell limestone and reaching a length of approximately 250 cm, combines organic shapes with a strong expressiveness that suggests freedom and the courage to cross boundaries.

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

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© photos: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

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Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size, But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say,

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

It’s the fire in my eyes,

The span of my hips,

And the flash of my teeth,

The stride of my step,

The swing in my waist,

The curl of my lips.

And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman Phenomenally.

I’m a woman

Phenomenal woman,

Phenomenally.

That’s me.

Phenomenal woman,

I walk into a room

That’s me.

Just as cool as you please, And

Men themselves have wondered

to a man,

What they see in me.

The fellows stand or

They try so much

Fall down on their knees. Then

But they can’t touch

they swarm around me, A hive

My inner mystery.

of honey bees.

When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see.

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I say,

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,

It’s in the click of my heels,

The sun of my smile,

The bend of my hair,

The ride of my breasts,

The palm of my hand,

The grace of my style.

The need for my care.

I’m a woman

‘Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

That’s me. Now you understand Just why my head’s not bowed. I

Maya Angelou: Phenomenal Woman

don’t shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, It ought to make you proud.

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© photo: KA Tekla Blažová

KA Tekla Blažová Sancta Familia 2003-2005

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© photo: KA Tekla Blažová

KA Tekla Blažová Friends 2005

In the painting Sancta Familia, I am searching for the essence of rela­ tionships. Beneath the surface of the body, I am searching for love. Women who are forced to divide their time and energy between family and work are often confronted by similar questions and problems. Mária was a sculptor, I am a painter, and our spouses were visual art­ists. Family relationships, when two partners both pursue artistic ac­tivities, their children are naturally influenced by it, bringing both joys and sorrows. From 2003 to 2005, I painted a series of works as a farewell to my friend, the remarkable sculptor Mária Bartuszová. → Bartuszová used two versions of her forename, Maria and Mária, and this is reflected in the different uses of her name by individual interviewees.

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KA Tekla Blažová Hommage à Mária B. 2005

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In the 1980s, there was a different atmosphere for women working in creative professions. Nowadays, everything is more inclined towards women and their creative work, es­ pecially given the wide range of art scholarships which are currently available. During the socialist era, this was primarily the domain of men and senior party members, the nomenklat­ura. In contrast, the women took care of the children, solved commonplace, household problems by taking on employment or creating artwork for architectural projects, and saved free time for our own creative pursuits, which we always re­turned to stages... We always laughed at our new beginnings.

© photo: KA Tekla Blažová, East Slovak Gallery

KA Tekla Blažová

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K myšlienke prepojenia matérie so svojím prostredím a vzniku intra-aktívnych kontextov slovami Karen Barad: [...] it is not a given that the object is a self-contained, freerather, this identification is the result of particular historically and

Barad tvrdí, že identifikácia objektu ako samostatného a voľne sa pohybujúceho telesa, nachádzajúceho sa v kontexte technomateriálneho prostredia, nie je nutne daná, ale je výsledkom konkrétnych historicky a kultúrne špecifických intra-aktívnych materiálno-­ diskurzívnych aparátov. Táto myšlienka je obzvlášť relevantná v prípade verejných skulpturálnych objednávok, kul­túrnych aktiv­ít, ktoré sú nezvratne výsledkom definovaných spo­ločenských a politických diskurzov produkovaných v určitých his­torických a kultúrnych kontextoch v komplexných intra- aktívnych procesoch.

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Karen Barad has also commented on the idea of connecting matter with its environment and the emergence of intra-active contexts: floating body located inside a technomaternal environment; culturally specific intra-actions of material-discursive apparatuses.21

Barad argues that the identification of an object as a separate and freely moving body, located within the context of a technomaterial environment, is not necessarily a given but is in fact the result of specific historically and culturally specific intra-active material-discursive apparatuses. This line of thinking is particu­ larly relevant in the case of public sculpture commissions, cultural activities which are unequivocally the result of clearly defined social and political discourses produced within particular historical and cultural contexts in complex processes of intra-­actions.

21 Barad, 2007, p. 217.

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Tieto faktory spoluvytvárajú určitý diskurz aj o tom, ktoré aspek­ty sú považované za prijateľné pre zobrazenie v verej­nej sfére. Napríklad, socha umiestnená na námestí pred obchodným domom môže byť vytvorená z určitého materiálu – kameňa či bronzu, kto­rý má v sebe zabudované historické a kultúrne odkazy a symboliku. Diskurzy, vytvárajúce sa okolo tohto materiálu a sochárstva samotného, môžu tiež ovplyvniť význam sochy pre verejnosť.

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Mária Bartuszová Fountain | Germination 1986-1987

Dargov Department Store, Košice

Documentation Centre of the East Slovak Gallery, © photo: Milan Bobula on the left: © photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

These factors co-create a concrete discourse about what aspects are considered acceptable for representation in the public sphere. For example, a sculpture placed in a public square in front of a de­ partment store can be made of a material, say, for example, stone or bronze, that bears within itself particular historical and cultural references and symbolisms. The discourses with which the material is imbued can also influence the meaning which the sculpture engenders among the public.

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Maria Bartuszová nekoná len myšlienkami, alebo slovami, koná aj inak, odlišne. Necháva veci konať. Dana Lacková Väčšinu svojich objektov ponechávala bez názvu, spoliehala sa na to, že dobré dielo by malo hovoriť samo za seba.22 Ruth Noack Diese Skulptur [...] hat wieder zu mir gesprochen.23 Maria Bartuszová k jej výstave v Levoči, 1981: Na vernisáž výstavy v Levoči [...] sa veľmi teším, pretože sa – podľa mojich predstáv – výstavný priestor zmení na akúsi ‚herňu‘, kde na vlastné oči uvidím, či moje plastiky splnia svoje poslanie a či tí, ktorí ich budú držať v rukách, pocítia tú radosť a lásku, ktorú som do nich vkladala pri ich tvorení.24

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Maria Bartuszová not only acted through her thought or speech; she also acted in other, different ways. She let things act. Dana Lacková She left most of her objects unnamed, relying on the belief that a good artwork should speak for itself.22 Ruth Noack This sculpture [...] has spoken to me again.23 Maria Bartuszová on her exhibition in Levoča, 1981: I am very excited about the opening of the exhibition in Levoča [...] because, as far as I expect, the exhibition space will be transformed into a kind of ‘playroom’ where I will see with my own eyes whether or not my sculptures fulfil their purpose and whether those who hold them in their hands will feel the joy and love that I put into them during their creation.24

22 Lacková, 2006, p. 72. 23 From a conversation with Ruth Noack, 2022. 24 Bartuszová quoted in Budská, in Sloboda, 1981, n. p.

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Skúsim ďalej uvažovať v agential realism, v ktorom nie sme len (sú)časťou sveta austinových rečových, či butlerovských konvencionálnych aktov, vytvárajúcich nás vo svojej performativite. Sme (sú)časťou aj materiálneho sveta vecí a objektov | sôch, ktoré ho vo svojej performativite spoluurčujú rovnako ako jazyk, ktorým sa vyjadrujeme.

Ak teda súhlasíme s myšlienkou, že všetky telá sú charakterizované a vznikajú svojou intra-aktivititou25, tak aj myšlienku či dych, ako produkt ľudského organizmu, nemožno oddeliť od materiálnych procesov.

Da stehen wir an den unübersteiglichen Bergen, und doch:

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I feel it is important to follow this line of thinking about agential realism, in which we are not only part of the world of Austinian speech acts or Butlerian conventional acts that co-create us through their performativity. We ourselves are also part of the material world of things and objects such as sculptures, agents that also co-determine the world in their own performativity in much the same manner as the language we use. If we therefore agree with the idea that all bodies are characterized and emerge through their intra-activity25, then the idea of thought or breath, as a product of the human body, cannot be separated from material processes.

Da oben nur lernt man die Wollust des Atmens verstehen. Bettina von Arnim

25 Barad, 2007, p.376.

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Slovami Marie Bartuszovej:

My breath is part of the

Citát môže byť vnímaný z viacerých filozofických perspektív. Jednou z možností by mohol byť holistický prístup, v ktorom je všetko navzájom prepojené a tvoriace súčasť celku, bez toho, aby nejaký prvok existoval izolovane. Táto perspektíva by mohla nad­väzovať na ekologické a procesné línie myslenia zdôrazňujúce vzájomné ovplyvňovanie všetkých živých aj neživých prvkov v prostredí.

Fyzikálne hľadisko môže byť prepojené s konceptami teórie chaosu a kvantovej fyziky, ktoré zdôrazňujú neistotu a komplexnosť sveta (a vesmíru ako celku) a v ktorých každá zmena môže mať vplyv na celý systém.27 Akt dýchania, či už ľudský, alebo iný je neustálym po­­hybom vo vzájomnom pôsobení s ostatnými kozmickými entitami.

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Maria Bartuszová commented on her own intra-actions with the external world:

pulsating universe...26

It is possible to interpret this quotation from several different phi­ losophical perspectives. One possibility could be to adopt a holistic approach in which we consider everything to be interconnect­ed and constituting a part of the whole, with no element existing in isolation. This view could be related to ecological and process lines of thought which emphasise the mutual influence of all living and non-living elements in the environment. A more physical perspective could be linked to the concepts of chaos theory and quantum physics which underline the uncertain­ ty and complexity of the world (and the Universe as a whole) in which every minute change can have an impact on the entire system.27 The act of breathing, whether human or otherwise, in­volves constant motion and the interaction with other cosmic entities.

26 Bartuszová quoted in Garlatyová, in Dziewanska, 2005, p. 43. 27 We will return to the topic of chaos theory in our chapter titled The Butterfly Effect.

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V súvislosti s vyššie uvedeným môžeme argumentovať, že dych a ďalšie ľudské a neľudské procesy vznikajú v intra-akcii s materiálnym svetom a sú s ním nedeliteľne spojené: dych nie len produk ­ tom pľúc, ale je ovplyvnený aj atmosférou okolo nás, ako aj ďalšími chemickými a fyzikálnymi procesmi odohrávajúcimi sa v našom tele. Naše vnútorné procesy sa stávajú vonkajšími.

Pohľad na svet ako na neustály pohyb so vzájomnou závislosťou procesov môže byť užitočným nástrojom pre lepšie porozumenie našej (s)účasti v ňom. Zároveň môže byť inšpiráciou pre hľadanie nových spôsobov ako prispieť k ekologickému udržaniu a rozvoju tohto systému. Sme súčasťou sveta, ktorý nás obklopuje, naše činy a rozhodnutia môžu vplývať na jeho stav. Je dôležité uvedomovať si našu zodpovednosť voči planéte ako celku.

Art challenges us to think about the world and

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In light of the above, we can argue that breath and other human and non-human processes arise from a process of intra-action with the material world and are inseparable from it: breath is not only a product of the lungs but is also influenced by the atmos-­ phere around us and the countless chemical and physical process­ es which occur within our bodies. Our internal processes have become external. The concept of the world as an object in constant motion, intertwined with the interdependence of processes is perhaps a more useful approach for furthering the understanding our involvement within it. At the same time, it also serves as an inspiration in efforts to improve ecological sustainability and the development of our shared ecosystem. We are part of the world that surrounds us, and our actions and decisions can have an impact on its state. We should always bear in mind our obligation towards the planet as a whole.

ask questions we wouldn’t otherwise ask. Mel Bochner

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POST | FENOMENOLOGICKÝ EXKURZ

Although it might be interesting to contemplate an agential realist

V Merleau-Pontyho koncepcii má (sochárkine) pohybujúce sa telo svoje miesto vo viditeľnom svete. Myslené ďalej, telo je súčasťou sveta, a teda aj súčasťou diela samotného. Vzájomným pôsobením matérií – materiálu, z ktorého je dielo vytvorené, sochárkiných myšlie­nok vznikajúcich v jej pohyblivom tele a vonkajšieho sveta, ktorého sú všetky matérie súčasťou, vzniká proces, v ktorom sa sochárka, neživý materiál a ich prostredie stávajú intra-aktívnymi aktérmi. Telo sochárky sa stáva matériou, vykonávajúcou prácu, je zo sveta a je jeho súčasťou; v súlade s tým, sa socha netvorí len v mysli, ale odráža sa v nej celý svet a zároveň vytvára vlastný, iný, nový svet.

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A POST | PHENOMENOLOGICAL DIGRESSION

post-phenomenological elaboration of lived bodily experience.28

In a Merleau-Pontyian conception of the world, the body of the sculptor in motion manifests itself in the visible world. Further­ more, the body is a part of the world and is, by extension, a part of the sculpture itself. The mutual interaction of materials – the mate­rial from which the artwork is made, the sculptor’s thoughts made concrete through the movements of her body, and the ex­ ternal world of which all materials are a part – results in the creation of a process in which the sculptor, the inanimate material, and their environment become intra-active actors. The sculptor’s body becomes a material that performs work, is of the world, and is a part of it. In line with this, the sculpture is not only formed in the mind but reflects the whole world; yet simultaneously, it creates its own, different, new world.

28 Barad, 2007, p. 341.

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Matter isn’t situated in the world; matter is worlding in its materiality.

© photo: author’s image

Karen Barad

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Vo fenomenologických pojmoch socha (plastika) nie je vnímaná ako linguistický znak, ale opisuje ho v jeho viditeľnosti. Východiskom teda nie je teória jazyka, ale teória vedomia: teória obrazu. Možno by sme mohli navrhnúť, že socha sa stáva hmatateľnou teóriu vnímania.

Naše senzorické vnímanie je neoddeliteľnou súčasťou našej te­ lesnej skúsenosti. Umenie môže podnietiť divácku pozornosť k zvýšenému vnímaniu a rozpoznaniu svojej vlastnej telesnej skúsenosti a jej vzťahu k okoliu. Aj minimálnym pohybom, sledujúc očami obrysy sochy je možné stať sa súčasťou diela.

[... ] forms part of an external space – which it shares with its viewer – Internal relations of form and content retreat an impact that throws viewers back

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In phenomenological terms, a sculpture is not perceived as a lin­guistic sign but is instead described through its visibility. The start­ing point therefore lies not in the theory of language but in that of con­sciousness: the theory of the image. Perhaps we can even su­ggest that the sculpture represents a tangible theory of perception. Our sensory perception is an inseparable facet of our bodily experience. An artwork has the potential to stimulate our attention, sharpening our perception and the recognition of our own bodily experience and its relationship to the surroundings. With the small­est movement as we scan the contours of the sculpture with our eyes, we can become part of the artwork. As Dorothea von Hantel­mann has noted, an artwork in which meaning is produced in relation to a given situational reality. behind the object’s impact on this situation, on themselves, in a space and a situation.29

29 von Hantelmann, 2014.

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Boris Vaitovič Beeing in the space 2008

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič

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V koncepcii agential realism sú všetky telá v neustálom vzájomnom pôsobení so svojím prostredím a nie je možné ich posudzovať od­ delene od materiálnych procesov. Vo vzťahu k umeleckým dielam to môže znamenať, že majú nielen vnútornú formu a obsah, ale sú aj súčasťou vonkajšieho priestoru zdieľaného (antropocen­tricky) s divákmi, ako zdôrazňuje Merleau-Ponty a von Hantelmann. Aj z tejto perspektívy by mohlo byť možné vnímať umelecké diela baradovsky rozšírene: ako agential enactments, ktoré sa aktívne zapájajú do vzťahu prostredia nielen s divákmi.

The changes that are enacted will depend on the specific nature distribution of [...] the iterative (re)construction of humans and responsibility within as part of the world means underthrough this is never justification for deflecting

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Within the concept of agential realism, all bodies are considered to be in constant interaction with their environment and cannot be judged independently from material processes. In relation to works of art, this would imply that artworks not only possess an internal form and content but are also part of the external space shared (anthropocentrically) with their audience, an idea which is emphasized by Merleau-Ponty and von Hantelmann. From this perspective, it would be possible to perceive works of art in terms of Barad’s extended framework of agential enactments, situations which actively engage in a relationship with the environment, not only with their audiences.

of the agential intra-actions [...], which may include the ongoing nonhumans through agential enactments. Learning how to intra-act standing that we are not the only active beings – that responsibility onto other entities.30

30 Barad, 2007, pp. 218-219.

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Barad nepovažuje ľudské a neľudské telá len za situované vo svete, ale za súčasť sveta a zo sveta. Socha teda nie je „iba“ sochou, je súčasťou sveta, intra-aktívnou agentívnou realitou všetkých jeho entít. Tento prístup nám umožňuje vnímať sochy a ďalšie umelec­ké objekty ako aktívnych účastníkov sveta, hlbšie porozumieť vzájomným vzťahom medzi umeleckými dielami, publikom a prostredím, a umožniť vznik nových významov a situácií.

Ešte raz: ume­lecké diela nezostávajú uzavreté vo svojom vnútri, ale stávajú sa súčasťou vonkajšieho sveta, v ktorom spolupôsobia s ostatnými entitami.

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Barad does not consider human and non-human bodies as being merely situated in the world, but instead sees them as part of the world, emanations from the world. In this line of thinking, a sculp­­ture is not “just” a sculpture but should be thought of as an intra-­ active agential reality of all its entities. This approach allows us to perceive artworks and other artistic objects as ac­tive parti­cipants in the world, deepening our understanding of the rela­tion­ships between artworks, their audiences and the enviro­nment and enabling the emergence of new meanings and situations. Once again, artworks do not remain closed within themselves but become part of the external world which they share with all other entities.

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K INEJ UMELECKEJ PRAXI Aj Gilles Deleuze a Felix Guattari vyzývajú k prehodnoteniu ustálených myšlienkových modelov a k otvoreniu sa novým prístupom k pochopeniu sveta. Poznanie nie je pasívne prijímanie, ale aktívne hľadanie a spôsob akým premýšľame, ovplyvňuje to, čo môžeme (s)poznať. V tomto zmysle sú poznatky z umeleckej praxe jednou z možností, myslieť inak, aby sme sa stali inými a mohli sa pohybovať medzi rôznymi plošinami alebo platformami31 a tak prekročiť ustálené modely vnímania a konania vo svete.

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TOWARDS A DIFFERENT ARTISTIC PRACTICE Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari have also called for a re-evalua­ tion of established intellectual models and advocated an openness to new approaches to understanding the world. Knowledge is not a passive reception but an active seeking, and the way that we think influences what we can know. In this sense, the insights that we gain through artistic practice can encourage our commitment to think differently, so as to become different, to transition be­tween different planes or platforms31, and thereby transcend es­tablished models of perception and action in the world.

31 Deleuze, Guattari in Rösch, 1997.

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AGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT V TVORBE MARIE BARTUSZOVEJ Koncept agential realism predpokladá, že všetky telá a objekty exis­tujú v intra-aktívnom vzťahu so svojím prostredím a ich matér­ iu nemožno posudzovať oddelene od ich procesu. V kontexte ume­leckých diel to môže naznačovať, že sochy nie sú iba objektmi, ale sú súčasťou širšieho prostredia, s ktorým samy zdieľajú vzťahy. Kombináciou tohto prístupu z perspektívou fenomenológie a jej zameraním na subjektívnu skúsenosť a vnímanie, by možno mohli byť sochy Marie Bartuszovej chápané ako prejavy osobnej skúsenosti s telom a svetom. Tvary, ktoré vytvára, nesú nezmazateľné stopy jej telesnosti a vytvárajú nové vzťahy medzi telom, svetom a umením.

Ľudský materiál sa vtláča do neľudského. Vznikajú nové objekty a vzťahy. Maria Bartuszová vytvára formy, vtláča do nich seba, svoje telo, svoje svety. V určitom zmysle sa niečo prenáša a niečo iné, rozsiahlejšie vzniká.

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AGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT IN MARIA BARTUSZOVÁ’S WORK As was noted above, the concept of agential realism posits that all bodies and objects exist in an intra-active relationship with their environment, and their material cannot be judged separate­ly from their process. In the context of artworks, this would suggest that we should always consider, say, sculptures as part of a wider environment with which they themselves share relationships. Combining this approach with the perspective of phenomenology and its focus on subjective experience and perception, Maria Bartuszová’s sculptures can perhaps be understood as ex­pressions of her personal experience with the body and the world. The forms that she creates bear the indelible traces of her corporeality and forge new relationships between the body, the world and art. The human material is impressed upon the non-human. New objects and relationships emerge. Maria Bartuszová creates forms, impressing herself, her body and her worlds into the material. In a way, something is transmitted and something different, something more expansive is created.

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2009

Maria Bartuszová Untitled 1985-1987

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With this notion in mind, a new perspective emerges from Maria Bartuszová’s work Untitled, ca. 1985-1987, a sculpture which stands as an artistic manifesto of her intricate concept, a new perspective emerges. Crafted from pure white plas­ ter, the work intra-weaves various organic elements in a delicate tableau of ten­ sion and harmony. Its positioning within the open environment, on the border of a wooden frame forms a surprising contrast with its surroundings, further accen­tuating its distinctiveness. Untitled, ca. 1985-1987, evokes the sensation of materiality intertwining with the abstract, engendering an enigmatic harmony. The white hue accentuates the striking polarities of emptiness and fulness, eva­ nescence and permanence. Through this interplay, the artwork evolves into a de­piction of human paradoxes yet also represents an exhilarating testament to the profundities that extend beyond mere surface. From the 1980s onwards, she ven­tured into the technique of pneumatic casting, which she also applied in this work. In this method, she poured plaster onto inflated rubber balloons, subsequently allowing them to burst. The pressure from the ruptured balloons fielded castings with fragmented forms resembling eggs. This exploration of the physical properties of materials allowed her to move on from complex forms and heralded the emergence of a new approach to form. In documenting the sculptor’s works, the photographer drew inspiration from his childhood memories of Maria Bartuszová displaying her pieces outdoors in a garden near her studio.

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Sochy konajú. Pôsobia. Sú o prítomnej neprítomnosti tela (inak: o prítomnosti neprítomného tela) a stávajú sa súčasťou sveta. Nie sú konkrétnymi časťami tela, ale nesú stopy ľudskej aj neľudskej telesnosti. Intra-akciou so svetom začínajú pôsobiť a stávajú sa reálnymi. Levitácia diel ako jedna z možností intra-aktivity mater­iálneho a diskurzívneho aparátu, vytvára nové spôsoby vnímania a chápania sveta, v ktorom umelecké diela rozširujú hranice svojej fyzickej podoby medzi telom a svetom, prekračujú ľudské a neľudské, navzájom sa prelínajú a ovplyvňujú.

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The sculptures act. They produce an effect, they provoke a re­action. They are concerned with the tangible absence of the body (or, put differently, the tangible presence of the absent body) and become part of the world. They cannot be thought of as specific parts of the body but they carry traces of both human and non-­ human corporeality. Through their intra-action with the world, they gain the capacity to induce an effect and become real. The elevation of the works as potential possibilities of intra-activity of the material and discursive apparatus generates new ways of perceiving and understanding the world, in which works of art transcend the boundaries of their physical form, existing between the body and the world, superceding both the human and the nonhuman, intertwining and influencing the various realms.

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PLNÉ PRÁZDNO — EXISTENCIA (NE)EXISTUJÚCEHO PRÁZDNO NIE JE PRÁZDNE, NIČ NIE JE NIČ V umeleckej biografii Marie Bartuszovej možno sledovať vývoj, ktorý vedie od idey dokonalej formy cez fázu približovania sa k derridovskej alebo dekonštruktívnej prázdnote až ku koncepcii plnej prázdnoty. Procesom gravistimulácie sa materiál oslobodzuje od magnetického poľa Zeme a dosahuje ľahkosť plnej prázdnoty aj prostredníctvom pneumatického zjemnenia. V tomto kontexte je možné vnímať prázdno ako stav bez trvalej alebo nemeniteľnej podstaty či substancie, v ktorom je všetko v neustálom pohybe a zmene. Prázdno tak môže byť vnímané pozitívne, pretože umožňuje existenciu a transformáciu všetkého ostatného. Je neviditeľným procesom stávania sa s nekonečnými možnosťami.

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FULL EMPTINESS — THE EXISTENCE OF (NON)EXISTENCE EMPTINESS IS NOT EMPTY, NOTHING IS NOT NOTHING Maria Bartuszová’s artistic development reveals a journey that leads from the idea of the perfection of form through a phase in which she appears to reflect upon Derridean or deconstructive emp­tiness, eventually arriving at the concept of full emptiness. Through the process of gravistimulation, material breaks free from the magnetic field of the Earth and achieves the lightness of filled emptiness through pneumatic refinement. In this context, empti­ness can be perceived as a state without permanent or sta­tic es­sence or substance in which everything is in constant mo­tion and change. Emptiness can therefore be seen in a positive light as it allows for the existence and transformations of every­ thing else. It is an invisible process of becoming with seemingly infinite possibilities.

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Maria Bartuszová parafrázuje niekoľko veršov z klasického diela čínskej filozofie Tao Te Ching: Tao je nádoba jež prázdná je nevyčerpateľná aniž je třeba ji kdykoliv znovu naplniť tak širá a hluboká jak byla by rodičem veškerých věcí: v ní všechno ostré se udelá hladké a všechno těžké se udelá lehké a všechno slepé tu prohlédne a všetko složité se zjednoduší ---32 Text z Tao Te Chingu zobrazuje prázdnu nádobu, ktorá môže byť naplnená rôznymi predstavami a myšlienkami. Podobne je nádoba schopná (z)meniť ostré na hladké a ťažké na ľahké, aj myšlienky môžu mať schopnosť (z)meniť sa a stať sa väčšími, širšími, hlbšími. Stačí sa otvoriť novým spôsobom myslenia a porozumenia. Nádoba je nevyčerpateľnou; myslenie je nekonečnou matériou.

32 Bartuszová citovaná v Garlatyová, 2021, s. 47.

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In a poem found in her papers, Mária Bartuszová paraphrased some lines from the classic work of Chinese philosophy, the Tao Te Ching: The Tao is a vessel Its emptiness Is inexhaustible But need never be filled So wide and deep Like the ancestor of all things: Within it all that is sharp becomes smooth All that is heavy becomes light All that is blind becomes seeing All that is complex becomes simple.33 The poem depicts an empty vessel that can be filled with various ideas and thoughts. Just as a vessel is capable of changing the sharp to the smooth and the heavy to the light, ideas too can pos­sess the capacity to change and become bigger, wider, deeper. All that is required is the willingness to open ourselves up to new ways of thinking and understanding. The vessel is truly inexhau­sti­ble; thought is endless matter.

33 Tao Te Ching, in terebess.hu (27.2.2023)

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© Slovak National Gallery Bratislava

Mária Bartuszová Blue and White Food Storage Vessel 1961

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Within the framework of these ideas, this reference finds a harmonious resonance with the glazed ceramic vessel Blue and White Food Storage Vessel, 1961, crafted by Maria Bartuszová. It might be understood as a reflection of the artist’s contemplation of Eastern thought, with a dark body representing the base top­ ped with a white lid. This compositional choice invites us to delve deeper into the contrasts, duality and harmony present in Eastern philosophy, not only with­ in the realm of visual art but also within a philosophical context. The work was created during Bartuszová’s studies in Prague and documents her interest in the philosophical and aesthetic dimensions which would go on to serve as an inspiration for her later work. The vessel features a white lid of the type commonly used for the storage of food, with the total ensemble measuring 17.8 × 9.5 × 4.6 cm and a diameter of 10.1 cm. It forms part of the collection titled From the Circle Outwards which is held in the collection of the Slovak National Gallery. Maria Bartuszová shapes forms and employs materials to reveal the intrinsic simplicity which lies beneath the apparent complexity. In this manner, she extends an invitation to the viewer to explore deeply rooted insights that arise through the interplay of form, emptiness and the intricate intra-connections between phe­nomena and their relationship to the environment. This approach develops a comprehensive perspective on the artwork within more intricate and multidimensional contexts.

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Poznámka Marie Bartuszovej o vytváraní prázdna, môže byť kon­ cep­tuálne posunutá k prázdnote diela, ktoré možno ďalej v intra-­ akcii so sochárkou a jej prostredím myslieť v kontexte záujmu o materiálne stopy a potreby zanechania stopy v priestore. Diela Marie Bartuszovej často obsahujú prázdne priestory alebo plochy. Prázdny priestor môže byť chápaný aj ako nádoba, ktorá vytvára, uchováva či prenáša energiu a pohyb vecí. Prázdno tak vytvára podmienky pre existenciu vecí a umožňuje ko-existenciu mate­r­ iálov v priestore.

Pre Heideggera je prázdno základnou charakteristikou nádoby, ktorá umožňuje, aby veci boli prítomné v svete. Bez prázdna by neexistoval priestor na umiestnenie vecí. Prázdno a plnosť sa vzájomne podmieňujú a spoluvytvárajú. Ak je koncept prázdnoty centrálny pre umelecké dielo, potom toto dielo nemôže byť chápané ako izolovaný objekt; namiesto toho je neoddeliteľne prepojené so svojím prostredím a je vytvorené v intra-akcii s ním.

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Bartuszová’s poem in praise of emptiness can be conceptually shifted to the sense of emptiness which haunts her work, a characteristic which can also be considered within the context of her interest in material traces and the need to leave a mark in space through intra-action between the sculptor and her environment. Maria Bartuszová’s works often feature empty spaces or surfaces. An empty space can also be understood as a vessel that creates, preserves or transmits energy and the movement of things. In this respect, emptiness creates the conditions in which things can exist and allows for the coexistence of materials in space. In Heidegger’s philosophy, emptiness is a fundamental characte­r­ is­tic of the vessel that enables things to manifest and be present in the world. Without emptiness, there is no space for things to be placed. Emptiness and fullness are mutually conditioned and co-­ create each other. If the conception of emptiness is central to the artwork, then the artwork cannot be understood as an iso­lated object; instead, it is inextricably interconnected with its environ­ment and is created in intra-action with it.

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Prázdno umeleckého diela sa môže stať priestorom, v ktorom sa veci môžu stretnúť a spolu-vzniknúť. V tomto zmysle sochárka nevytvára len fyzický tvar, ale podstatne spoluvytvára prázdno, skrytú „vecnosť vecí“, ktorá im umožňuje byť prítomnými vo svete (pretože veci sú zo sveta) a samotnej „vecnosti vecí“ umožňuje sa odhaliť. Podľa Vladimíra Beskida, kurátora jednej z prvých samostatných výstav Marie Bartuszovej, sú energie a tekuté tvary jej sôch zakorenené v samotnej matérii. V dôsledku toho sa prázdno stáva súčasťou celku, priestorom plneným energiou a súčasne výpoveďou o svete.

The flow of energies in matter and the ‘fluid’ character of the shapes

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The emptiness of the artwork is therefore a space in which things can meet and co-create. The sculptor thus creates not only a phy­sical form but essentially co-creates an emptiness, a hidden substance of things that allows them to be present in the world (as all things are inherently of the world) and enables “the thingness of things” to reveal itself. According to Vladimír Beskid, the curator of one of Maria Bartus­ zová’s earliest solo exhibitions, the energy and fluid contours of her sculptures are rooted in the material itself. As a result, the emp­tiness itself becomes a part of the whole, a space filled with energy which simultaneously makes a statement about the world.

of sculptures are the bases of Bartuszová’s thinking in matter.35

35 Beskid, 2006, n.p.

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Spojením prirodzených tokov energie materiálu a sochárkiných autorských techník vznikajú „ovoidy“ krehké duté vajíčka, ktoré sú niekedy zviazané špagátmi, gumou alebo inými procesmi zviazania či zovretia. Potencionálny konflikt s materálom prechádza z formy tichého uzavretia do momentu slobody:

The direct conflict of matter is transferred into the form of

Moment slobody prejavujúci sa v organických a nepravidelných tvaroch a v skutočnosti, že materiál nie je úplne zviazaný, ale má priestor na prejavenie svojej vlastnej existencie.

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By combining the material’s inherent energy flows with the sculptor’s artistic techniques, “ovoids” are created: fragile, hollow eggs that are sometimes bound by ropes, rubber or other means of bind­ing or constricting the material. These works represent the potential conflict in the material’s transition from a state of silent confinement to a moment of freedom.

a silent incarceration: a moment of freedom. Vladimír Beskid

This moment of freedom is manifested in the works’ organic and irregular shapes, and in the fact that the material is not complete­ly bound but is still given the room to express its own existence.

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2009

Maria Bartuszová Untitled ca. 1987

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One example of this type of “liberated” or “unbound” works is Untitled, ca. 1987, a sculpture consisting of a series of ten plaster ovoids protruding from holes cut in plexiglass tied with ropes is photographed in direct contact with nature; the work is seen in the open space of the garden in front of the sculptor’s studio on The Red Hillside, which takes its name from the abundance of apple trees found in this garden quarter of Košice. The photograph showing the artwork suspended from the tree branches highlights the intra-actions of shapes, reflections and depth. When photographed in the open air, the work is set free from the gallery environment and its associated rules which prohibit us from touching or interfering with the artworks or speaking too loudly; the unorthodox means of displaying the artworks prompts reflection on other possibilities of freedom. One artistic technique that Bartuszová initiated as early as the 1960s was gravi­ stimulation. She continued actively employing this method into the 1980s, often combining it with pneumatic techniques (see Untitled ca. 1985-1987, p. 114-115). Ini­tial­ly conceived by Bartuszová as a means of minimizing the influence of grav­ ity on the emerging artwork, gravistimulation is a process that unfolds in the intra-action between the artist and the material. Bartuszová introduced plaster into objects such as balloons allowing the material to flow freely and take shape. Subsequently, the artist’s intra-active process of “collaboration” involves compressing, shaping or modifying the form as the material gradually solidifies. By releasing the pressure and creating a vacuum, the artist employed water, achieving a certain degree of weightlessness for the material. The aim of this process is to capture the impres­sion of lightness when confronted with substantial plaster forms. Plaster is ini­tially a powdered form which takes on a liquid state when exposed to water, subsequently solidifying into a rigid and fragile substance. The resulting objects exude a sense of transience, and due to the various phases of the material — from the initial powder to flowing liquid and finally solid matter — they evoke the very process of shaping and trans­forming matter.

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Podobne, ako kvantové fluktuácie a virtuálne častice zostávajú prítomné v prázdnom priestore, aj moment slobody v dielach Marie Bartuszovej zostáva prítomný v ich inakosti a v možnos­tiach, ktoré vytvárajú. Od polovice 80. rokov začala Bartuszová narušovať integritu ume­leckého diela a perforovať jeho formu, vytvárajúc vnútorné škrupinové dutiny, ktoré tvoria priestory, zdajúce sa prázdnymi, ale ktoré v sebe skrývajú neviditeľnú

archaeology of shape with

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Just as quantum fluctuations and virtual particles remain present in empty space, the moment of freedom in Maria Bartuszová’s works remains present in their otherness and in the possibilities which they create. From the mid-1980s onwards, Bartuszová began disrupting the integrity of the artwork and perforating its form, creating internal shell cavities to form spaces that appear to be empty but which conceal an invisible

a strong existential charge.35

35 Ibid.

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© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

Maria Bartuszová Endless Egg 1985

Krátke zamyslenie Marie Bartuszovej zdôrazňuje prepojenosť všetkých vecí a potenciál transformácie.

I think of all the trees of the world, flying birds, And in this moment I also become a tree, a bird,

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This conceptual shift in artistic expression is particularly apparent in works such as Endless Egg, 1985, which Maria Bartuszová created using the previously mentioned pneumatic technique, where the outer shell encloses an empty space. This large-scale sculptural artwork in plaster and measuring approximately 35 × 28 ×  25 cm is part of the Kontakt Collection in Vienna. Endless Egg simultaneously ex­udes both solidity and fragility within a complex piece, partially exposed to the surrounding world. This artistic experiment unfolds as a space and challenge that expands the boundaries of our perception of reality. Thin shells are placed within one another; the artwork resembles an egg within an egg, symbolizing the poten­tial for new life, the process of existence and other possibilities which a­wait future discovery. In this way, Bartuszová has effectively delineated the inner world of the artwork, allowing us to perceive and comprehend the ex­tended di­mensions of rea­lity and existence. Moreover, the placement of this artwork in an open space further stimulates the perception of the relationships between nature and human intervention. In the background of the artwork, socialist-era apartment buildings in the city of Košice are visible, adding another layer of com­ plexity to the work by serving as a record of societal and historical dimensions.

Maria Bartuszová herself was acutely aware of the interconnectedness of all things and their potential for transformation.

their nests with eggs and abandoned nests. an egg in the nest and an abandoned nest.36

36 Bartuszová quoted in Garlatyová, in Dziewanska, 2005.

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Diela Marie Bartuszovej vytvárajú možnosti vnímania sveta a pre-­ pojenie vonkajších realít s vnútornými. Sochárka vymedzuje ume­ nie voči matérii, aby mohla pretvárať matériu umením (ona formuje matériu, matéria formuje ju). Výsledkom dynamiky matérie a umenia je vznik ever changing agential reality37, ktorá mení naše vnímanie toho, čo sme považovali za skutočné a možné. To, čo bolo kedysi vylúčené, sa stáva možným.

S Karen Barad o možnostiach vylúčenia:

What’s real and what’s possible, as some as possibilities are opened up

Dynamizmus matérie teda nie je tvorivý len v zmysle privádzania nových vecí do sveta, ale aj v zmysle vytvárania nových svetov a ich zapojenia sa do neustálej rekonfigurácie väčšieho sveta. Vnútorné svety Marie Bartuszovej sa stávajú našimi vonkajšími.

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The works of Maria Bartuszová open up new ways of perceiving the world and interconnecting internal and external realities. The sculp­tor draws a sharp delineation between art and matter in order to transform matter into art (she shapes matter, and matter shapes her). The result of the dynamics of matter and art is the emergence of an ever-changing agential reality37 that transforms our perception of what was previously considered real and possible. That which had once been excluded becomes possible. Karen Barad has also noted the potential to bring ideas and objects out of exclusion: things come to matter and others are excluded, and others are foreclosed.38

The dynamism of matter is not generative only in the sense of bringing new things into the world but also in the sense of creating new worlds and facilitating their involvement in an ongoing reconfiguration of the greater world. The inner worlds of Maria Bartuszová become our external world.

37 Barad, 2007, pp. 208. 38 Ibid.

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IV. SAMUEL BECKETT: EXISTENCIÁLNY EXKURZ Rozhodnutie Marie Bartuszovej ponechať väčšinu svojich diel bez názvu môže byť konceptom otvoreného priestoru pre divácke intra-akcie, v ktorých je možné vnímať a interpretovať diela vlast­nými spôsobmi a spoluvytvárať nové významy bez nátlaku pred­definovaných významov, vyvolané názvom a tak predčasne vymedziť otvorený priestor. Môžeme si pripomenúť: The Tao that is unnameable is the

Koncept otvoreného priestoru možno ďalej skúmať v kontexte noosféry40, ktorá odkazuje na otvorený priestor pre vytváranie nových významov a neustálej sa meniacej identity.

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IV. SAMUEL BECKETT: EXISTENTIAL EXCURSUSES Mária Bartuszová’s decision to leave most of her works untitled may represent her aim of creating an open space for the viewer’s intra-actions; the works can be perceived and interpreted on their own terms, co-creating new meanings without the pressure of pre­defined meanings generated by titles which can often delineate the open space of interpretation prematurely. As we may recall: Source of the Heaven and the Earth.39

The concept of open space can be explored further within the context of the noosphere40, an open space which facilitates the formation of new meanings and a continuous evolving identity.

39 Tao Te Ching, in terebess.hu (27.2.2023) 40 The noosphere is a philosophical concept that describes the sphere of thought, consciousness and spiritual activity within the Earth. According to this concept, human activity is capable of influencing and transforming the biosphere, creating a noosphere that can be perceived as a global intellectual space in which the basic processes of social and cultural evolution occur. The term was first used by the French scientist, philosopher and Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) at the beginning of the 20th century. Teilhard de Chardin was also one of the main theorists of the noosphere, and his work led to the development of the concept across various disciplines, including biology, ecology, philosophy and the social sciences.

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I V. S A MUEL BECK E T T: E X IS T ENCI Á L N Y E X K UR Z

V neurčitom prostredí románu Samuel Becketta The Unnamable (1953) sa neznámy a subjektovo nedefinovateľný protagonist, označovaný len ako „Ja“, sa snaží definovať a udržať si svoju identitu, pričom si kladie otázky hraníc jazyka a vecí, aby sa mohol stotožniť s neustále sa meniacim okolitým svetom. I’m in words, made of words, others’ words, what others, the whole world is here with me, I’m the air, the walls,

V kontexte noosféry možno tento citát vnímať ako intra-akciu toho, ako sa náš spôsob vnímania a identifikácie s okolitým svetom neustá­le mení a transformuje. Ľudia sú súčasťou sveta a jeho noos­féry, a naše identity sú neustále formované a menené okolnosťami a stimulmi, ktoré nás obklopujú. Protagonista textu sa snaží zosúladiť so sebou samým a svetom slov a vecí, ktorý ho obklopuje, ale cíti sa preťažený fluiditou a neustálymi meniacimi sa hranicami.

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I V. S A MUEL BECK E T T: E X IS T EN T I A L E XC UR SUSE S

In the indeterminate setting of Samuel Beckett’s novel The Unnam­ able (1953), the nameless and subjectless protagonist, re­ferred to only as “I”, attempts to define and maintain their identity while questioning the boundaries of language and things in an effort to identify with the constant flux of the surrounding world: the place too, the air, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, all words, the walled in one, everything yields, opens, ebbs, flows...41

In the context of the noosphere, this quote can be seen as a des­ cription of an intra-action, reflecting how our perception and way of identifying with the world around us is constantly changing and transforming. Humans are a part of the world and its noosphere, and our identities are continually shaped and changed by the cir­ cum­stances and stimuli that surround us. The protagonist of the text struggles to reconcile themselves with the world of words and things which surround them, but feels overwhelmed by the fluidity and constantly changing boundaries.

41 Beckett, 1958, pp. 387-386.

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The Noosphere, or thinking layer of earth, we have these radical new powers of technology — biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics — increase our lifespan, increase our intelligence, increase our living space from this earth into the solar system. The Noosphere is a super-­organism of radical powers and it is growing without us absolutely observing it. It’s only a short while ago we realized we have a biosphere, and that it’s a linked living system.

© photo: author’s image

Barbara Marx Hubbard

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Tento koncept meniacej sa a prázdnej identity otvára aj otázku, do akej miery sú naše identity trvalé a stabilné, alebo je naša identita ilúziou, ktorú si sami vytvárame. Na súvislosť medzi noosférou a Beckettovým románom možno nazerať aj v kontexte existenciálnej filozofie. Koncept noosféry zdôrazňuje, že ľudská inteligencia a vedomie sú súčasťou sveta a prírody, ktoré spolu tvoria neustále sa meniacu sieť. V tomto románe sa protagonist snaží definovať svoju identitu v kon­texte sveta a jazyka, ale naráža na obmedzenia (pripomeňme si Austi­ nove: Hovoriť znamená konať). V tomto zmysle môže byť prota­ gonist Beckettovho diela vnímaná ako súčasť noosféry, ktorá podlieha neustálym transformáciám v dôsledku obklopujúceho a spolu-sa-vytvárajúceho sveta.

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This concept of a mutable or empty identity also raises the ques­tion of the extent to which our identities are permanent and sta­ble or whether this this is an illusion that we have created for ourselves. The connection between the noosphere and Beckett’s novel can also be viewed within the context of existential philosophy. The concept of the noosphere emphasizes that human intelligence and consciousness are a part of the world and nature, elements which together form an ever-changing network. In Beckett’s novel, the protagonist attempts to define their own identity in the context of the world and language but encounters seemingly insurmountable limitations (we might recall Austin’s assertion that speaking is act­ ing). In this sense, Beckett’s protagonist can be seen as a part of the noosphere,undergoing continual transformations as a result of the surround­ing and co-creating world.

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Presvedčenie, že máme schopnosť transformovať svoju realitu prostredníctvom svojich myšlienok a vnímaní, naznačuje, že nie sme pasívnymi príjemcami reality, ale skôr jej aktívnymi spolutvorcami. To potvrdzuje predstavu, že prázdnotu možno vnímať ako priestor na vytváranie nových možností, kde sa prelína naša vnútorná realita s vonkajšou. Každá prázdnota a každé prázdno tak obsahujú potenciál vytvárania a formovania nových svetov.

malé prázdno plné malého nekonečného vesmíru...

momentom nekonečna: nekonečne rozmanitých nekonečností.

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The belief that we have the capacity to transform our reality through our thoughts and perceptions suggests that we are not passive recipients of reality but active co-creators in the process. This appears to confirm the belief that emptiness can be perceived as a space for creating new possibilities in which our inner reality merges with the external. Every emptiness and every void thus possess the potential to create and shape new worlds without end.

A small emptiness, full of a small infinite universe... Maria Bartuszová

A moment of infinity: infinitely diverse infinities. Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari

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I V. S A MUEL BECK E T T: E X IS T ENCI Á L N Y E X K UR Z

Dynamizmus matérie a jej prepojenie s inými existenciami a ča­ sopriestormi znamená, sú prítomnou súčasťou našej reality aktívnymi účastníkmi procesu stávania sa a bytia42. Barad zdôrazňuje, že minulosť a budúcnosť sú nevyhnutné pre naše porozumenie reality, ale nemali by byť vnímané ako oddelené entity, nezviazané s prítomnosťou. Minulosť a budúcnosť sú neustálou súčasťou prebiehajúceho procesu vzniku a premeny matérie.

The past matters and so does the future, but the past is never left come to be in an unfolding of the present moment; rather the past and

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The dynamism of matter and its connection with other existences and space-times means that the past and future are an ever-­present part of our reality, active participants in the process of becoming and being.42 Barad emphasizes that the past and future are essential for allowing us to understand reality, but they should not be seen as separate entities, unconnected to the present. The past and future are constituent parts of the ongoing process of the emer­gence and transformation of matter.

behind, never finished once and for all, and the future is not what will future enfolded participants in matter’s iterative becoming...43

42 In quantum mechanics, time is perceived as a continuum in which the past, present, and future are constantly intertwined. Similar to Barad’s theory of intra-action, quantum mechanics posits that each temporal event affects other events with the result that all events are inseparably interconnected. 43 Barad, 2007, p. 181.

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Maria Bartuszová Two-Part Sculpture | Metamorphosis

© photos: author’s images

Municipal Crematorium Košice, 1979

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In noua fert animus mutatas dicere formas, adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi

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corpora; di coeptis (nam uos mutastis et illa) ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen. Ovid, Metamorphoses

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TAJOMSTVO VÝSTAVNÉHO PRIESTORU Vstupujúc do výstavného priestoru, vnímame umelecké objekty a telá, ktoré ho vyplňujú. Ako už bolo spomenuté v „tajomstve prázdneho priestoru“, aj tu sa šíri domnelé prázdno. Diela, objekty, veci predstavujú nič, alebo vychádzajúc z teórie prázdna, sú energeticky všetkým.

Konajú. Nereprezentujú. Sú prítomné. Veci sa stávajú vecami. Diela sa stávajú dielami.

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THE SECRET OF THE EXHIBITION SPACE As we enter the exhibition space, we begin to perceive the artistic objects and bodies which it contains. As we have already seen with the “secret of empty space”, the same sense of presumed empti­ ness is also apparent here. Artworks, objects, things all represent nothing, or alternatively, based on the theory of emptiness, they are energetically everything. They act on their own volition.

They act on their own volition. They do not represent. They are present. Things become things. Artworks become artworks.

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Narušením pôvodnej matérie – sadry, zásahom do pôvodnej integrity „plnosti“ diela a perforovaním tvaru na vnútorné dutiny sochárka spoluvytvára prázdny priestor. Vlastná fyzická prítomnosť diela umožňuje jeho samostatné pôsobenie a vytvára iný výstavný priestor, ktorý nám ponúka možnosť prežiť iné poznania.

Čo môže znamenať, že umelecké diela nemusia byť nevyhnutne závislé od ľudských interpretácií na určenie ich významu. Uvažujúc s Heidegerrom, je „svetovanie sveta“ procesom, v ktorom veci získavajú svoju vlastnú ontologickú povahu, sú umiestnené v konkrétnom svete. Výstavy umožňujú objektom stať sa samostatnými a prítomnými v priestore, pričom diváci majú príležitosť vnímať ich v ich vlastnej bytnosti ako súčasť sveta. Heidegger presnejšie:

Das Ding dingt Welt. [...] Wenn wir das Ding in seinem Dingen aus der Dergestallt andenkend lassen wir uns vom weltenden Wesen Wir sind – im strengen Sinne des Wortes die Be-Dingten. Wir haben die An­Ding, dann schonen wir das Wesen des Dinges in den Bereich,

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By disrupting the original material – plaster, by interfering with the original integrity of the “fullness” of the work, by perforating the shape into internal cavities, the sculptor co-creates an empty space. The work’s own physical presence allows its independent impact to take effect and creates a different exhibition space which offers us the opportunity to experience different insights. On this basis, we might suggest artworks are not wholly depen­dent on human interpretations to determine their meaning. Following Heidegger’s thinking, the “worlding of the world” is a process in which things acquire their own ontological nature and are located within a specific world. Exhibitions allow objects to become in­­de­ pen­dent and present in space, with the viewer granted the oppor­ tu­­nity to perceive them in their own beingness as a part of the world.

weltenden Welt wesen lassen, denken wir an das Ding, als an das Ding. des Dinges angehen. So denken wir vom Ding als dem Ding gerufen. maßung alles Unbedingten hinter uns gelassen. Denken wir das Ding als aus dem es west. Dingen ist Nähern von Welt.44

44 Heidegger, 2000, p. 182.

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Približovanie sveta sa stáva stávaním niečoho, čo preniká matér­ iou, a tak jej umožňuje existovať. Maria Bartuszová tak môže byť vnímaná nielen v zmysle fenomenologickej percepčnej skúsenosti (bytia vo svete), ktorá je nevyhnutným predpokladom pre vnímanie objektov či umeleckých diel; ale aj v zmysle intra-akciami medzi entitami (bytia sveta). S Heideggerom: Das Ding dingt: Vec vecnie. Maria Bartuszová vedome vytvára situácie, ktoré umožňujú a zdôrazňujú aktivitu vecí. Necháva veci vecnieť.

V katalógu k výstave Mária Bartuszová, ktorá sa konala v M. A. Bazovského krajskej galérii v Trenčíne v októbri 1983, sochárka diskutuje svoj tvorivý prístup:

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I V. S A MUEL BECK E T T: E X IS T EN T I A L E XC UR SUSE S

The process of bringing the world closer becomes a process of something penetrating the material, thereby enabling it to exist. Maria Bartuszová can thus be seen to act not only in the sense of the phenomenological perception (of being in the world) that is an essential precondition of perceiving objects or works of art; her work also involves intra-actions between entities (of being of the world). Heidegger succinctly described this process as Das Ding dingt: The thing things. Maria Bartuszová consciously creates situations that enable and emphasize the activity of things; essentially, she lets the thing thing. In the catalogue for the exhibition Mária Bartuszová held at the M. A. Bazovský Regional Gallery in Trenčín in October 1983, the sculp­tor discusses her creative approach:

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Používam pri robote tlak, napnutie a čiastočnú bezváhovosť. Do gumených balónov (aj pneumatík) nalievam sadru, gumy tva­ rujem tlakom alebo ťahom a sadru nechám v gume zatvrdnúť – niekedy to robím vo vode a tým čiastočne eliminujem zemskú gravitáciu. Týmto spôsobom robím plastiky, ktoré majú aj ele­ gant­ný estetický tvar, ale nie vždy ide len o estetično – aspoň dúfam. Chcem pracovať s čistými princípmi. Myslím si, že tvary samy o sebe majú svojsilný psychologický výraz, ktorým pôsobia – napríklad: hranaté, ostré, anorganické tvary – studeno, oblé, orga­ nické tvary – teplo, dotýkajúce sa oblé tvary môžu vzbudzovať pocit nežného dotyku, objatia – možno aj pocity erotické; plocha je tichá, bezfarebná, neutrálna, neosobná. Negatívny tvar je odtlačkom pozitívneho, odtlačkom možno aj toho, čo bolo a už nie je. Vrstvenie alebo plynulý prechod pozitívneho v negatívny snáď môže vzbudzovať časopriestorový pocit. Šikmosť = pohyb. Symetria = statickosť. Kontrast ostrého tvaru útočne zaboreného do mäkkého tvaru. Tvar mierne plnšie až pevne vydutý má znaky vitality, akonáhle sa to preženie, stáva sa mäkkým, tekutým, poddajným a až nevitálnym. Dúfam, že to ‚moje teoretizovanie‘ snáď je v mojej robote cítiť.45

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I use pressure, tension, and partial weightlessness in my work. I pour plaster into rubber balloons (and sometimes tires), shape the rubber with pressure or pulling, and let the plaster harden inside the rubber – sometimes doing this in water to partially elim­inate the Earth’s gravity. In this way, I create sculptures that have an elegant aesthetic shape, but it’s not always just about aesthe­tics – at least, I hope not. I want to work with pure principles. I believe that shapes have their own powerful psychological ex­ pression that they evoke – for example, square, sharp, inorganic shapes are cold, while round, organic shapes are warm, and touch­ing round shapes can evoke feelings of gentle caresses, embraces, maybe even a sense of eroticism. Flatness is silent, colourless, neu­tral and impersonal. The negative shape is the imprint of the positive, and the imprint may also be of what was and is no longer. La­yering or a smooth transition from positive to negative can pos­­­si­bly evoke a sense of time and space. Obliqueness equals movement. Symmetry equals stasis. The contrast of a sharp shape em­ bedded in a soft shape is aggressive. A slightly fuller or firmly con­ vex shape has signs of vitality, but once it goes too far, it becomes soft, fluid, pliable, and even lifeless. I hope that my ‘theorizing’ can be felt in my work.45

45 Bartuszová quoted in Kvasnička,1983, n.p.

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It is not enough merely to exist, said [the butterfly], I need freedom, sunshine, and a little flower for a companion. The Butterfly, Hans Christian Andersen

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© photo: Onur Turna

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V. MOTÝLÍ EFEKT Vo svete Marie Bartuszovej sa biologické, technické a materiálne rozmery prelínajú a vytvárajú nové formy života a reality. Jej ume-­ nie je precíznym konceptuálnym a tvorivým rozvinutím jej nado­ budnutých znalostí, jej života, jej reality. Bartuszová vnímala svoju prácu ako prejav svojho cítenia pre život, svojho spojenia s existenciálnymi problémami, ktorým čelia ľudia aj všetky živé bytosti na Zemi, a predstavuje tiež potenciálne problematické riešenie týchto problémov. Vplyv jej tvorivosti na jej zvolené materiály predstavuje priamu realizáciu reality a úzko súvisí s minulosťou jej existencie a nádejou.

What I am doing is perhaps the expression of my life feeling, bonding with the problematic solution of these problems, bonding with people’s effectively and meaningfully, the minuteness of my existence and and a hope along with that related to the meaning and importance what I do and the optimism arising from that for me, from the Butterfly Effect, the idea that the

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V. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT In the world of Maria Bartuszová, biological, technical and material dimensions intertwine to create new forms of life and reality. Her art is a precise conceptual and creative development of her acquired knowledge, her life, her reality. Bartuszová saw her work as an expression of her sense for life, of her connection with the existential problems faced both by humans and by all of the liv­ing to these problems.

The impact of her creativity on her chosen materials constitutes a direct realization of reality and is closely associated with the past of her existence and hope. the existential problems of people and every­thing alive on the earth, existence by their possibility and ability to handle these difficulties the minuteness of my strength in the shortness of our allotted time, of everything (and thus my existence as well), the way I think and flapping of a the discovery of the meteorology of Edward N. Lorenz, butterfly’s wings is sufficient to instigate a hurricane.46

46 Bartuszová quoted in Garlatyová, in Dziewanska, 2005, p. 53.

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V. MOT Ý L Í EFEK T

Kľúčový koncept pri popise nepredvídateľnosti dlhodobých efektov v dynamických systémoch, Butterfly Effect sa používa v teórii chaosu na vysvetlenie toho, ako aj malé zmeny v počiatočných pod­ mienkach môžu mať významné následky na vývoj systému v čase a môžu viesť k výsledkom, ktoré sa radikálne líšia od predpovedaných. Vo fenomenologických termínoch môže zmena osvetlenia alebo uhla, z ktorého je umenie pozorované, viesť k diametrálne odlišnej percepcii.47 Podobne ako pohyb krídel motýľa spôsobujúci neočakávané a pô­ vodne nepostrehnuteľné zmeny v atmosfére, malý prvok materiálu môže mať neočakávaný efekt na celkový vzhľad hotového diela.

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V. T HE BU T T ERFLY EFFEC T

A key concept in articulating the unpredictability of long-term effects in dynamic systems, the Butterfly Effect is used in chaos theory to relate how even minor changes in initial conditions can have significant consequences on the development of a system over time, potentially leading to outcomes which are radically different from those which were predicted. In phenomenological terms, a change in lighting or in the angle from which a work of art is viewed can lead to a diametrically different perception.47 As with the movement of a butterfly’s wings causing unexpected and initially imperceptible changes in the atmosphere, a minor feature of the material could have an unexpected effect on the overall appearance of the finished work.

47 I would like to thank Zoltán Tomori for an inspirational conversation.

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Creative Commons | Asturnut (butterfly), Hellisp (attractors)

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Two Lorenz Orbits

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BUTTERFLY EFFECT INAK Podobne ako v prípade diela Marie Bartuszovej, aj sochy Ellen Jilemnickej sú charakteristické originálnym prístupom k práci s materiálmi. I have never had feelings that I was not recognized as a woman. At the for my diploma thesis Butterfly (1970). It was worse in life. I think it was

© photo: author’s image

I didn’t have the temperament for it. I thought I would be

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A DIFFERENT BUTTERFLY EFFECT As with Maria Bartuszová’s work, the sculptures of Ellen Jilemnická are characterized by an original approach to working with materials. Academy of Fine Arts, I was successful; I even received a studio award a lot about me, that I didn’t push myself forward, I didn’t assert myself. without having to promote myself. That was naive!48

Ellen Jilemnická Butterfly, 1980

Play School building Prague

Butterfly, a monumental spatial sculpture made of sandstone by Ellen Jilemnická, is a meditation on the fragility and beauty of life. Its gene­rous dimensions and striking presence in front of the Montessori Elementary School directly invite us to reflect on our own existence and our potential in the world and the impact we can have on it through small but significant decisions and acts.

48 Jilemnická, 2021.

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© The Easton Foundation | Bildrecht, Vienna 2023

Louise Bourgeois Baby and Butterfly, State II 2007

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Like so much of Louise Bourgeois‘ art, the 2007 work titled Baby and Butterfly, State II is distinguished by its expressive and emotional power. Bourgeois is known for her complex artistic language and her emphasis on the psychoanalytic and emotional aspects of human existence, and in this work she addresses the theme of mother and child, a recurring motif in her oeuvre. This graphic work, measuring 30.8 × 24.4 cm, is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The work is created through a combination of drypoint, engraving and collaged cloth in paints on smooth woven paper and explores the transformative nature of the butterfly and the concept of metamorphoses associated with children while also alluding to the possibility of further unforeseen consequences. The artwork captures a moment of sudden spontaneity, depicting the relationship between a mother and baby and the wings of a butterfly. This composition creates a sense of tension between the tenderness and vulnerability of the child and the beauty and lightness of the butterfly. The themes of motherhood and femininity were a constant source of inspiration for Louise Bourgeois. The work portrays emotional and psychological states which cannot be easily defined but which are closely related to motherhood, vulnerability and the desire for freedom. This complex means of expression is a characteristic feature of Louise Bourgeois’ artistic language and invites viewers to contemplate the essence of human nature and the emotional aspects of our relationships. Additionally, in Baby and Butterfly, State II Bourgeois is opening up an intra-­ active space, reminding us that art can serve as a reflection of our deepest and most intimate feelings and desires. At the same time, it encourages us to reflect upon the complexity of human existence and emotional richness.

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Každé umenie môže byť vnímané ako malý prvok v širšom kontexte, ktorý môže mať nečakaný vplyv na celú spoločnosť.

Art is not about art. Art is

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Each individual artwork can be perceived as a small element in a broader context that can exert an unexpected impact on society as a whole.

about life, and that sums it up. Louise Bourgeois

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EXKURS K SOCHÁM PRE NEVIDIACE A SLABOZRAKÉ DETI Aké je to pozerať sa iba v tme? Naozaj VÔBEC NIČ nevidieť? Pozerať sa do tmy znamená, že v našom zornom poli nie je prítom­ né žiadne svetlo a naše oči nie sú schopné vnímať žiadne vizuál­ne podnety. Napriek tomu môžeme stále vnímať prítomnosť tmy a toho, že niečo tam je. Nemáme možnosť fixovať alebo pohybovať náš po­hľad, pretože nedokážeme určiť smer, odkiaľ by mohli prichádzať svetelné podnety. Strácame všetok zmysel pre blízkosť alebo vzdialenosť, vnemy súvisiace s našou schopnosťou zaostrovať a určiť ako blízko alebo ďaleko sú od nás ostatné objekty. Ale niečo tam je. To niečo môžeme stretnúť neočakávane, alebo nám môže poskyt­-­ núť vstup do iného, potenciálne odlišného sveta, kde veci sú vnímané a pochopené inak než zrakom. Tieto veci alebo diela sa tak stávajú vecami z iných svetov vytvorených pre iné svety.

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AN EXCURSUS ON SCULPTURES FOR THE BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED How does it feel to look out into the darkness? To really see NOTHING at all? When we look out into the darkness, no light is present in our field of view and our eyes are therefore unable to perceive any vi­sual stimuli; nonetheless, we can still perceive the presence of the darkness and the fact that something is there. We cannot fix or move our gaze because there is no way for us to determine the direction from which light stimuli could come. We lose all sense of proximity or distance, the perceptions related to our ability to focus and determine how near or far other objects are from us. But something is there. This something can be encountered unexpectedly, or it can serve as an entry into another, potentially different world where things are perceived and understood by a means other than that of sight. These things or works thus become things from other worlds crea­ted for other worlds.

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Der mannigfachen Welt ist er beraubt, Der Antlitze, die das sind, was sie waren, Der nahen, heute fernen Straßenscharen, Des gestern tiefen Blaus, das heut verstaubt. Jorge Luis Borges, Der Blinde

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© photo: author’s image

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V kontexte sochy a sochárstva a aktu tvorby sochy sa intra-akcia dotyku a jeho prostredia týkajú vzťahu medzi telom sochárky a inými telami. „Biela palica“ od Merleau-Pontyho môže byť vnímaná ako „vidiace telo“ nevidiacich ľudí a agential realism spája vzťah palice so s špecifickosťami komplexnejšej vonkajšej reality. Materiál, z ktorého sú sochy vytvorené, tiež umožňuje, aby rezonovali so svojím vlastným špecifickým zvukom. Aktívna haptická percepčná schopnosť je senzorická kvalita pokožky spôsobená pohybom svalov, mechanickými alebo tepelnými podnetmi. Táto senzorická kvalita nám umožňuje pocítiť veci (v zmysle iných ľud­ských a neľudských tiel) prostredníctvom opatrného skúmania. Pre nevidiacich a slabozrakých môžu byť haptické vnemy intenzív­ ne­jš­ ie, umožňujúc im presnejšie vnímať tvar objektu na základe materiálu a jeho priestorových možností.

Z fyzikálneho hľadiska nie sú hrany či hranice dané ani ontologicky, ani vizuálne. V kontexte intra-akcie sochárky a materiálu vzťah ne­môže byť zredukovaný na počet atómov zdieľaných každým účast­ní­kom vo vzťahu; namiesto toho sa materiál diela aj človek intra-aktivujú a vnútorne spolupôsobia.

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In the context of sculpture and the act of sculpting, the intra-­action of touch and its environment govern the relationship be­tween bo­dies – more specifically, between the body of the sculptor and other bodies. Merleau-Ponty’s “white cane” can be perceived as the “see­ing body” of blind people, and agential realism connects the cane’s relationship with the specificities of a more complex ex­ternal rea­lity. The material from which sculptures are made also allows them to resonate with their own specific sound. Active haptic perception is a sensory quality of skin senssations caused by muscle movements, mechanical or thermal stimuli. This sensory quality allows us to feel things (in the sense of other human and non-human bo­­dies) through a process of cautious exploration. For the blind and visually impaired, haptic perceptions can be more in­tense, allow­ing them to perceive the shape of an object with great­­er precision based on the material and its spatial possibilities. From a physical standpoint, edges or boundaries are not given either ontologically or visually. In the context of the intra-action of the sculptor and the material, the relationship cannot be strip­ ped down to the number of molecules shared by each participant in the relationship; instead, both material and man intra-activate and interact internally.

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Svetlo naň dopadá len na niektoré oblasti, zatiaľ čo iné zostávajú zatienené; napriek tomu neexistuje jasná hranica medzi svetlom a tmou. Pokiaľ ide o silu tejto akcie, nie je možné s akoukoľvek presnosťou rozlíšiť medzi aktérmi zapojených do akcie, ani presne rozlíšiť alebo definovať napríklad hranice svetla padajúceho na materiál z vizuálneho hľadiska. Tento efekt je výsledkom difrak­cie, ohýbania svetelných vĺn pri kontakte s prekážkou, ktorá tvorí obraz, ktorý nie je nikdy úplne ostrý a jasný. Barad uplatňuje fyzikálny princíp difrakcie aj ako možný filozofický princíp; na rozdiel od priameho odrazu, navrhuje difrakciu v zmysle nepozerania sa na veci, ale v rámci usporiadania s nimi.

Diela Vertikálne a Horizontálne vlnenie, 1967-1970 | 1969 od Marie Bartuszovej tiež predstavujú možnú intra-aktívnu difrakciu s materiálom, svetlom, zvukom a priestorom. Podobne ako difrakcia posúva pôvodný smer svetla či zvuku, diela Bartuszovej naznačujú, že nové a odlišné porozumenia toho, čo vidíme, cítime, myslíme a robíme, možno dosiahnuť, ak sme ochotní na svet pozerať z iného pohľadu alebo v inom svetle.

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In terms of the force of this action, it is not possible to distinguish between the actors involved with any degree of precision, nor can we precisely distinguish or define, for example, the boundaries of the light falling on the material in a visual sense. Light is cast on certain areas, while others remain shaded; yet there is no clear boundary between light and darkness. This effect is the result of diffraction, the bending of light waves upon making contact with an obstacle which forms an image that is never completely sharp and clear. Barad applies the physical principle of diffraction as a possible philosophical principle; in contrast to direct reflection, the approach diffraction suggests that we arrange with objects rather than look at them. The works Vertical and Horizontal Waves, 1967-1970 | 1969 by Maria Bartuszová also depict a possible intra-active diffraction between material, light, sound and space. Just as diffraction shifts the original direction of light or sound, Bartuszová’s works suggest that new and different understandings of what we see, feel, think and do can be achieved if we are willing to look upon the world from a different perspective or in a different light.

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Exhibition view, Body, Form and Gesture – Sculpture in the East Slovak Gallery Collection, 2020-2021 At the front: Maria Bartuszová, Vertical Waves, 1967-1970, behind: Juraj Bartusz: Study for the Concept of Speed, 1969-1972 and Arpád Račko: Circulation of Coins, 1970s

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This photograph taken at the exhibition titled Body, Form, and Gesture - Sculpture in the Collection of the East Slovak Gallery, 2020-2021 shows three significant sculp­tural works, each of which bears distinct traces of a sculptural creative methodology involving experimentation with materials and forms. The first of these pieces is Vertical Waves by Marie Bartuzová, dating from 1967-1970, crafted from polished aluminum sheet with dimensions of 100 × 43 × 12 cm. In this context, we can observe the phenomenon of material diffraction, with the interaction of light rays with the aluminum surface evoking the impression of movement and change, forming a contrast between the static material and the optical perception of motion. The second exhibited work is Study for the Concept of Speed by Juraj Bartusz from the years 1969-1972, a sculpture in matte aluminum enclosed within a wooden frame. In this case, light diffraction, induced by the material properties of aluminum and its interaction with the wooden frame, plays an equally significant role in creating the impression of movement and dynamic transformation in the artwork. Simultaneously, in the middle of the photograph’s composition we can see the stainless steel piece Circulation of Coins by Arpád Račko, created in the 1970s, which initially adorned the eastern facade of the former Slovak Savings Bank in Košice. Here, we can contemplate the possibilities of spatial diffraction, where the sculpture, positioned outdoors, acquires a new context and interacts with the surrounding environment, generating yet another impression of motion and dynamic alteration within the architectural context. These works were significant examples of the cultural policy of Košice in the mid-20th century. The photographic documentation serves as a crucial witness to the historical and cultural context of sculpture in the region from this period. It underscores the significance of sculpture as a medium in culture, politics and ideology, while also highlighting the relationship between works of sculpture, public spaces and municipal cultural policies.

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Mária Bartuszová Horizontal Waves | Relief 1969

© Documentation Centre of the East Slovak Gallery photo: Milan Bobula

Lipa restaurant, Kuzmányho Housing Estate, Košice

The relief was later removed and no longer survives.

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The photograph shows the artwork titled Horizontal Waves, 1969, a piece which is often referred to as the Relief on the Façade of the Lipa Department Store and which is constructed from aluminium in a similar technique to that used in the work Vertical Waves, 1967. This relief sculpture originally measured 500 × 150 × 70 cm. As Miroslav Kleban, a curator of the East Slovak Gallery, relates, the relief was inexpertly removed and subsequently destroyed by the new owner of the building sometime after 1989. The Municipality of Košice never issued any permit for the removal of the relief, and a criminal report was subsequently filed against the unknown perpetrator.49 This case also underscores the fact that an art­work does not exist in isolation as an independent work of creativity but is in­stead rooted within a broader socio-political context. Art can provoke dis­putes or political reactions that can exert an impact on its subsequent destiny and ex­istence. It further emphasizes the importance of preserving and documenting artworks, enabling us to gain a deeper understanding of the history of art and its influence on society, even in cases when works have been seen as deviations from established artistic norms and conventions. It is precisely these deviations and controversies which contribute to the development of critical thinking and the ongoing re-evaluation of values and attitudes toward art and culture, there­by playing a crucial role in the legacy of art and its continual processes of evolution.

49 From a conversation with Miroslav Kleban, 2023.

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TELO MIMO NORMY: SÚČASŤ CELKU ZAHRŇUJÚCA VYLÚČENÉ Vnímanie sveta nie je len záležitosťou nášho zraku. Telo, ktoré ne­ vyhovuje spoločenským normám, môže byť predmetom vylúčenia a marginalizácie. Navrhované je sústrediť sa na materialitu tiel ako fenoménov a vnímať ich ako súčasť celku, ktorý zahŕňa aj to, čo je vylúčené. Byť „schopným telom“ znamená byť v protetickom vzťahu s „postihnutými“.

Clearly, we do not see merely with our eyes. Interacting with (or rather, Objects are not already there; they emerge through specific practices. [...] world constructed specifically with an image of ‘normal’ embodiment mind when the body ‘breaks down’ – that such presuppositions generally paratus is first noticed. When such (in)opportunities arise the entantheir corollary constitutive exclusions emerges. It then becomes clear that embodiment that is co-constituted through the boundary-

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THE BODY BEYOND NORMS: A PART OF A WHOLE ENCOMPASSING THE EXCLUDED Our perception of the world depends on more than our sight a­lone, but nonetheless a body that does not conform to societal norms can be subject to exclusion and marginalisation. A greater focus on the materiality of bodies as phenomena and the perception that they too form part of a whole can do much to include those who have been excluded. When we consider ourseles to be “able-­ bodied”, we are entering into a prosthetic relationship with the “disabled”.

intra-acting ‘with’ and as part of) the world is part and parcel of seeing.The luxury of taking for granted the nature of the body as it negotiatesa in is enabled by the privileges of ableism. It is when the body doesn’t work – of everythisurface. It is often only when things stop working that the apgled nature of phenomena and the importance of the agential cut and “able-bodiedness” is not a natural state of being but a specific form of making practices that distinguish ‘able-bodied’ from ‘disabled’.50

50 Barad, 2007, pp. 157-158.

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REŠPEKT A ZODPOVEDNOSŤ Čo sa považuje za „normálne“ – schopnosť žiť s „normálnym“ telom, je spoločensky podmienená štruktúra, ktorá vzniká procesmi, definujúcimi hranicåe a vylučujúcimi iné formy telesnosti.

Plastiky Marie Bartuszovej pre nevidiacich a zrakovo postihnutých sú navrhnuté tak, aby sa dali taktívne vnímať a demonštrujú jej rešpekt voči potrebám a schopnostiam iných. V kontexte agential realism, prístupu, ktorý hovorí aj o zodpoved­ nosti a participácii každého jednotlivca pri tvorbe sveta a aktívnej úvahe o tom, ako každá aktivita ovplyvňuje ostatných, môže byť práca sochárky vnímaná ako „malý krok“ alebo „efekt motýľa“, ktorý vytvára odlišný spôsob vnímania a komunikácie s vecami a svetom okolo nás. Inakosť spočíva v intra-akcii s umením, ktoré by inak ostalo nedostupným. Sochárka pomáha tam, kde je to po­trebné, de-rekonštruuje realitu, aby vytvorila inú.

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RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY What is considered “normal” – the ability to live with a “normal” body – is a socially conditioned structure which is created through pro­ces­ses that define boundaries and exclude other forms of corporeality. Maria Bartuszová’s sculptures for blind and visually impaired peo-­ ple are conceived to be perceived tactually and demonstrate her respect for the needs and abilities of others. In the context of agential realism, an approach which also speaks of responsibility and the participation of every individual in shap-­ ing the world and an active consideration of how every activity affects others, the sculptor’s work can be seen as a “small step” or a “butterfly effect” that creates a different way of perceiving and communicating with things and the world around us. Otherness lies in the intra-action with art that would otherwise remain inaccessible. The sculptor helps where necessary to deconstruct reality in order to create another.

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Mária Bartuszová Fountain, 1967-1971

© Documentation Centre of the East Slovak Gallery photo: Milan Bobula

© photo: Boris Vaitovič, 2023

Institute for Physically Handicapped Children, Košice

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The significant legacy of public art offers the opportunity to a deeper and critical understanding of public space and art as a means of communication and intra-­­ action with the environment. One possible way in which an artwork can enrich and transform public space is through the integration of specific themes and messages derived from everyday life and its sense of meaning. A notable example of this concept is the sculpture Fountain, created by the sculptor Maria Bartuszová between 1967 and 1971, which is installed in a space intended for the use of phy­sically disabled children in Košice. Standing at a height of approxi­mate­ly 135 cm and crafted from a combination of bronze and stone, the sculpture por­trays a suspended raindrop from which a smaller droplet is emerging. These droplets are situated in a circular basin, from which water sprays upwards. This artwork reflects everyday phenomena and natural elements, and this interpretation is accentuated by its current blue colour scheme. When photographers inquired about the decision to repaint the sculpture in blue paint, they were informed that there was insufficient information available regarding the identity of the work’s artist. The sculpture demonstrates that art can forge connections between various aspects of life and society, indicating the artist’s aim of using art for hu­ma­ni­tarian purposes in situations where such a need has been identi­ fied. Bartuszová’s foun­tain becomes a means of bridging art, the public space and a sense of social mission, introducing deeper layers of significance into the context of public art.

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Maria Bartuszová v rozhovore s novinárkou Vierou Budskou z roku 1981: Pri svojich sadrových a brondzových plastikách pre Slepecký ústav a školu nevidiacich detí v Levoči som mala predovšetkým na zre­teli fakt, že tu sústredeným postihnutým ľuďom, nahradzuje zra­ kový orgán, mimoriadne vyvinutý hmat. Navyše majú radi oblé tvary, príjemné na dotyk. Toto sa snažím maximálne rešpektovať. Pokiaľ ide o tematické okruhy sôch, sústreďujem sa na dve oblasti. Prvú motivuje poznanie, že slabozrakí a nevidiaci nemajú možnosti mnohé predmety z nášho každodenného života vôbec spoznať, pre­tože sú rozmermi také malé, že jednoducho si ich nedokážu – i po hmatovom vneme – dokonale predstaviť. Tak som dospela k plastikám, akými sú napríklad zväčšené (asi 50 cm) pšeničné zrná, kvap­ky rosy a pod., ktoré poslúžia nielen pri orientačných hmatových cvičeniach, ale sú zároveň aj didaktickou pomôckou pri školskom vyučovaní. Druhý okruh tém tvoria skladacie plastiky z troch, štyroch i viacerých častí určené k rozvíjaniu hmatovej i estetickej fantázie, ale aj k časovo náročnej hre.51

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In a 1981 interview with the journalist Viera Budská, Maria Bartuszová stated that: With my plaster and bronze sculptures for the Blind Institute and School for Blind Children in Levoča, I held foremost in my mind the fact that to the people there with disabilities, a hyperdeve­loped sense of touch had replaced the visual organ. Moreover, they prefer rounded shapes, pleasant to the touch. I try to respect this to the maximum. As for the thematic areas of the sculp­tures, I focus on two areas. The first is motivated by the knowledge that the vi­sually impaired and blind people have no awareness of many objects from our everyday lives, because they are so small that they simply cannot – even after a tactile sen­sa­tion – imagine them perfectly. Therefore, I came up with sculptures which resemble enlarged (about 50 cm) wheat grains, drop­lets of dew, and so on, which are used not only in tactile orientation exer­cises but also as didactic aids in school teaching. The second the­matic area cosists of folding sculptures made of three, four or more parts which re­designed to develop the tactile and aesthetic imagination, but also intended for use as a game.51

51 Bartuszová quoted in Budská, in Sloboda, 30.7.1981.

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© photo: Milan Bobula, East Slovak Gallery

Maria Bartuszová Jigsaw Puzzle 1978

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This awareness of the tactile capabilities and aesthetic-didactic preferences of the visually impaired can be seen in the sculptures which Bartuszová produced for the Blind Institute and School in Levoča, in particular through the substantial enlargement of everyday objects, allowing visually impaired individuals to gain a more nuanced understanding of their tactile characteristics. In her plaster and bronze sculptures, Bartuszová employs the active substitution of visual percep­ tion, aligning herself with the highly developed tactile faculties of impaired in­­divi­duals. It is also interesting to note that Bartuszová’s art as a whole tends to favour rounded forms which are more amenable to tactile sensations. In this per­spective, she elevates the tactile dimension to the level of a central perceptual experience. Bartuszová also created interactive pieces for the Blind Institute and School in Levoča, including the work titled Jigsaw Puzzle, more formally known as Bronze Puzzle with Four Parts, created in 1978, which is on permanent display at the East Slovak Gallery in Košice. Standing at a height of 12 cm, the sculpture con­sists of a combination of four bronze sections that can be moved around and reconfigured, thereby revealing additional internal shapes and structures that would otherwise remain concealed in the original unified composition — initially imperceptible through either sight or touch. Each individual piece was designed to fit closely into the puzzle, allowing individuals with visual impairments to intra-act, explore and experience a new world of shapes and tactile textures. The use of bronze as the material increases the weight and durability of the puz­zle, ensuring that the work could survive the rigours of the school environment. Through these approaches, Bartuszová is calling for a greater respect for differences and expanding the possibilities of perception and intra-action with­in the realm of art and beyond.

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all: pupil of a private elementary art school, Vranov nad Topľou, 2023

© Matej Novikmec

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Filozof Alphonso Lingis tvrdí, že zodpovednosť súvisí s naším vnímaním sveta. Naša schopnosť vnímať nás vystavuje vonkajšiemu svetu a spôsobu, akým existuje, čo v nás evokuje pocit zodpovednosti zaň. Responsibility is coextensive with our sensibility; the world’s being in such a way

Karen Barad je podobného názoru, tvrdí, že uvažovať o zodpovednosti znamená, otvoriť sa jej. Responsibility [...] is a (re)opening up to, an enabling of responsivebut through the iterative reworking of

Prijatie zodpovednosti za veci, diela či vlastné konanie, za ich intra-akcie so svetom nás nabáda k reflexii a uvedomeniu si vlastnej zodpovednosti za náš pohľad na svet a svoju účasť v ňom. Je to proces neustáleho prepracovávania možností a nemožností, ktorý nás vedie k neustálemu prehodnocovaniu a rastu ako jednotlivcov aj ako spoločnosti.

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The philosopher Alphonso Lingis argues that responsibility is re­lated to our perception of the world. Our ability to perceive expo­ses us to the outside world and the way in which it exists, evok­ing in us a sense of responsibility for it. in our sensibility we are exposed to the outside, that we are bound to answer for it.52

Karen Barad adopts a similar approach, arguing that to consider responsibility means to open oneself up to it. ness. Not through the realization of some existing possibility, im/possibility, an on-going rupture.53

Accepting a responsibility for things, works or one’s own actions and their intra-actions with the world prompts us to reflect and become aware of our own responsibility for how we perceive the world and our participation in it. It is a process of constantly reworking the possibilities and impossibilities which leads us into a state of ongoing reevaluation and growth both as individuals and as a society.

52 Lingis, 1998, p. 15. 53 Barad, 2007, p. 392.

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CONCLUSIO Nechať matériu konať, znamená pochopiť, že je aktívnou, neustále sa meniacou, produktívnou a produkovanou aktérkou v otvorenom procese stávania sa. Otvárajú sa otázky, akú rolu zohráva matéria umeleckého diela v súvislosti s realizáciou (alebo mate­-ri­alizáciou) možností konania, ktoré vznikajú v umeleckom kontexte vo vzťahu k prostrediu a ako sa tieto možnosti prejavujú (alebo môžu byť materializované). Plan B zahrnul koncept agential realism Karen Barad s cieľom hľadať a identifikovať iné možnosti kreatívneho konania. Tento prístup je neobmedzený; môže sa prejaviť aj v iných situáciách.

Plastiky Marie Bartuszovej pre nevidiacich a slabozrakých ľudí menia spôsob, akým ich zamýšľané publikum vníma, intra-aguje nielen s nimi, ale aj so svetom okolo nás a vytvára tak inú realitu.

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CONCLUSION To let matter act means to understand that it is an active, constantly changing, productive, and produced actor in an open pro­­cess of becoming. This raises questions about the role of the mat­ter of the artwork in relation to the realization (or materialization) of possibilities for action that arise in the artistic context in re­la­tion to the environment and how these possibilities manifest (or can be materialized). Plan B incorporates Karen Barad’s concept of agential realism in an effort to seek out and attempt to identify other possibilities for creative action. This approach is broadly limitless; it can mani­fest itself in a plethora of other situations. Maria Bartuszová’s sculptures for the blind and visually impaired have the potential to change the way their intended audience per­ ceive and interact with objects and the world around them, intra-­ acting to form an other reality.

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CONCLUSIO

Diela Samuela Becketta narušujú ustálené formy a konvencie a konfrontujú nás s iným pohľadom na svet. Butterfly Effect na­značuje, že aj malé zmeny a činy môžu mať vplyv na celkovú situáciu a generovať iné možnosti.

Matéria aktívne spoluvytvárala (a spoluvytvára) plán B – robila ho jeho vnútrom a Vaším – naším vonkajškom. Plán B nie je alternatívou k plánu A. Je experimentom, ktorý je vyjadrením kreatív­neho konania iných možností. Tento prístup nie je limitovaný, môže sa prejaviť aj v iných situáciách. Možno sa nepodaril, ale to jednoducho znamená, že musíme skúsiť niečo iné, ako nám pripomína Chris Guillebeau, ešte stále zostáva ďalších 25+ písmen v abecede. Môžeme sa skúsiť otvoriť možnostiam, ktoré nám aktívna materiálna realita ponúka.

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CONCLUSION

Similarly, Samuel Beckett’s works disrupt established forms and conventions and confront us with an other perspective on the world. The Butterfly Effect suggests that even small changes and actions can have an impact on the overall situation and generate other possibilities. Active matter co-created (and co-creates) Plan B – shaping it from its inner world and our external world. Plan B is not an alternative to Plan A. It is an experiment that expresses the creative action of other possibilities. This approach is not limited and can manifest itself in other situations. It might not succeed, but that would simply mean that we need to try something else; as Chris Guillebeau reminds us, there are still another 25+ letters in the alphabet, so we should openly embrace the possibilities which active material reality offers us.

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This work is an academical publication, intended for academic, scientific, educational purposes and all those people who are curious and aimed at contributing to the preservation of our cultural heritage. The author receives no royalties from sales of this book. Research supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council

© 2024 for the text: Zuzana Križalkovičová All rights reserved.

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