WOMEN ARE WAITING
A series of large-format colour photographs

1994 – 1998

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TECHNICAL DETAILS

Colour photographs, size: 85 x 102 cm or 150 x 200 cm

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DEMO

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DESCRIPTION

„Women Are Waiting” is a symptomatic transitional piece – its phenomenon lies in that it showcases perfectly the aftermath of “Olympia” (1996) and foreshadows “The Rite of Spring” (1999-2002), two works wildly different from one another. The photographs show characteristic models in various poses, in a compositions resembling “Olympia”, against the background used in “The Rite of Spring”. Surprising uniqueness of models stems from the fact that the women are older, deformed, like in “Olympia”; Kozyra displays these “Others”. It’s the beginning of the Artist’s interest in old age, the passing of time, forms and shapes, capacities of the human body and body as a costume as well as limits it imposes. It’s the beginning of interests which came after the execution of “Pyramid of Animals” and whose pinnacle would be achieved in “The Rite of Spring” – a work thoroughly permeated by vanitas. This immobile silhouette frozen in a particular pose (forced by the technique of photography) is displayed against a stark white background. All unnecessary elements have been removed, so that the viewer’s eyes could focus directly on the presented figure, on the details of her body, skin, shapes, wrinkles and folds, impurities and marks, beauty and ugliness.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Work on the series began in 1994. For a long time Kozyra was not able to finish it.
• Four women and one man participated in the series.
• Photoshoots for the series “Women Are Waiting” resulted in the film “Chair”.
• Final photoshoots were arranged in connection with the shooting of the television film “The Scandalous Kasia K.” directed by Grażyna Bryżuk, who hired the models.
• Photographs from the series are housed in the collection of the National Museum in Wrocław.

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SEE MORE

 

• “Katarzyna Kozyra, Casting”, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw 2010.

PYRAMID OF ANIMALS

OLYMPIA

THE RITE OF SPRING

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The Artist would like to thank all her collaborators and people who helped in the realisation of the project, in particular:

Grażyna Bryżuk and all models.

 

The piece was created with the support of Kozyra’s mother, Alicja.