Solo Exhibition, ICA-D, Institute of Contemporary Art, Dunaújváros, Hungary
curatorial work/text: the artist | photos: Áron Weber | translation: Dániel Sípos | special thanks to: Koby Nemec, Sándor Márton Nagy, .page., Zsolt Páhi, Márk Radics, Ádám Szabó, Márton Emil Tóth | supported by: Banská St a Nica Contemporary, National Cultural Fund, PPG Trilak Kft.
"God will make man see things, if it is only against the black background of nonentity" [1]
In the site-specific installation Lőrinc Borsos wishes to use the material “Blaek” as a metaphor of his/her own existence. He/she attempts to make the glossy black enamel paint talk along the lines of – and despite – its function and qualities, and then spread it out as a background, and editing board, in order to find correlations between past and current events of the passion of humanity. The eventuality of the starting of the process is indicated by randomness, that is, the transference of the right to decide to different forces of nature and minimal painterly gestures, and is stimulated further by mechanical installations.
Throughout the experiment, the effort of rational control is replaced by the practice of letting go. Beyond expression through painting reduced to ornamental quality, the elements of the exhibition are ordinary objects overdriven in their operation or deprived of their functions – and even dead creatures. Separately they are nothings, but together they are foreshadowing a global conspiracy theory.
"There will be no colours now. Just black. Glossy black. And peacocks, astronauts, earthquake and whirlwind. Things and events against the black background of nonentity. Tribute to the insignificants of this world who have been found worthy of encountering the absurd." (L.B.)
The starting point for the exhibition is the story of Job, who examines the roots of our chaotic world through the tragedy of the individual. It is the story of the impeccable man, who unexpectedly suffers a series of tragedies, and in whom, despite of all this, an accusation against himself, or anyone else, or maybe the Creator, is not conceived. His friends on the contrary, make him responsible for all that he has to endure, and so, not finding understanding, he absurdly turns to addressing his words to God. As an answer, the Creator appears in the image of a whirlwind. God proclaims his own power and omnipotence that dwarves man’s significance in comparison.
According to the Introduction to the Book of Job by G.K. Chesterton this rather seems that the Creator is apologizing, in lack of a better way, trying to talk for himself since the created world does not appropriately reflect his own omnipotence. This is a dramatic unveiling of the imperfection of the world. The moral of the story is that chaos cannot be subtracted from the nature of the world. If man falls, they do it because they are born into a world condemned to failure in the first place. Although the loss suffered by Job is huge, a personal conversation with the source of the universe is serving as a compensation. It is the feedback in which the individual recognizes him-/herself as part of a bigger organisational principle.
As a result of disasters and tragedies, the individual’s perspective is deflected beyond the twilight zone behind the visible world, onto the ultimate horizon. The realm of eternal absurdity, lurking behind the fabric of reality punctured by evanescence. Here, the laws of physics have no effect, this is the external darkness (lightness), in the reflection of which existence as we know it is a mere passing shadow. A particle experiment initiated by a flick, having expanded into chaos the size of a universe in order to collapse back into itself in the next moment. [2] Perhaps it will be parenthesized, but it also may arrive at last.
“To look for the sake of looking: no different from being engrossed in aimlessness. Man is left on his own; and while everything begins to fade all around, his own self appears before him, threatened by disappearance, by nothingness. This is not so far from the revoking of creation. even though the beginning was the hope of a new creation.” [3]
The artist seeks the peace of mind of those who don’t stand a chance.
1 - G. K. Chesterton, Introduction to the Book of Job
2 - We need to emphasize the responsibility of the flicker for the act of flicking, throughout which he craved to become visible instead of invisible, plural instead of singular. Throughout which event he must have had some disturbing thought that made him frame the picture so mournfully. Creation thus impaired apparently cannot be mended by neither plant nor animal or human, not even the Creator. Even if the creator also suffers from or – God forbid – falls victim to the misery and chaos that he brought about. Apparently even the death of God can only make invisible marks on the soul of mankind and the barren wastelands of the created world. But maybe this hide-and-seek is an inseparable part of his essence, just so that there be something at least to find in the course of the terrible endeavour of reading among the lines. (bl)
3 - László Földényi F.: A festészet éjszakai oldala (The Nocturnal Side of Painting) p. 105.