Jade‘s crit

A piece of black fabric, embroidered with three images of hands, is nailed to the wall. The rough edges, untrimmed thread and the display of the piece at the first sight suggest that the piece is not finished. But once we notice the tension created by the embroidery and nails, it is obvious that all these elements contribute to the dynamics of the piece. 

 Three images of hands, creating a sequence of some sort, show three phases of a clenched fist. This adds a certain punch to the piece. The fragile looking embroidery is used to express this powerful gesture. It also seems as if the hands were pulling the fabric underneath them. The exploitation of material is obviously enjoyed and expressed so it seems like the piece is rather process-driven, yet there is something intriguing about the theme of hands and gestures that adds to the overall effect of the piece. Although the scale may seem a bit hesitant, it could be considered as another element of the contrast between the delicate embroidery and the strong gesture.

BURJAN’S REBUSES

from Urbanica series

RNDr. Vlado Burjan is a maths teacher. His career as a photographer started in 2004 when he presented a series of abstract geometric compositions found in streets of Bratislava at an amateur photo competition.  His photos are geometric compositions. Maybe because Burjan is a maths teacher, his work is based on geometry, visual harmony and order and it subtly expresses fascination with colour and structure.  As the author himself puts it:

"I like finding tiny sections of the world that are nice and pretty, because the world is fundamentally chaotic and dirty. My typical images - with geometric lines, shapes and structures show that as a rational man I like order and symmetry - as in mathematics, where we have everything in order. " (Otvoreny  list fotografom 2011.... [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fopa.sk/clanok.asp?rubrika=9. [Accessed 09 November 2011].)

from Geometrica series

I first became familiar with his work through Rébusy (Rebuses), a thin paperback published by MEET Photo in 2007. It is a selection of Burjan’s early work comprising of four sections- Urbanica, Symbolica, Geometrica, and Graphica. What really made me delve into his work were quotes by Robert Silverio, photographer and photography theorist from Prague from his publication Postmodern Photography accompanying the photographs:

“There exist visual games which tell the great story of mankind’s fight against the nature. The first one speaks by means of elementary forms and shapes, the second one by the use of order or chaos in the composition of the work of art. When I introduce strict geometric shapes and Euclidean geometry, straight lines, right angles, circles (even in a non-figurative manner) into an image, I tell the story of the civilization – in most cases a legitimising story. A square, a rectangle, a triangle or a straight line, are human products.”  (quote from Postmoderní fotografie. NAMU, Praha 2007; translated for Rebusy. MEET PHOTO, Bratislava 2007 by Ing. Martin Pisarcik, Phd., Lasertrans)

from Geometrica series

 The display of geometric shapes and structures in the urban environment is quite intriguing, especially when these images of “everyday geometry” are strengthened by the obvious presence and importance of colour. Burjan’s motifs are symmetry and straight lines but there is more to see in his minimalistic compositions. They may not necessarily be speaking about mankind fighting nature; they rather show the symbiosis of the two, which is essential within urban life. They celebrate the beauty of the city and the human element of it.