THE CORE • Art exhibition by Roger Ballen and Tomasz Górnicki

“Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.”

~ Joseph Conrad

Explore the dark side

The exhibition delves into the depths of human nature, combining photography and sculpture to help us reveal the origin of our innermost thoughts and feelings. It is a process of self-discovery.

Face your fears

By arousing instincts and transforming viewers' mental state, the exhibition confronts us with our weaknesses and insecurities – but once challenged, we no longer let our fears hold us back.

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With ❤ by Michał Jackowski.

"The Core" reveals the underlying state of mind that pervades all of humanity is some way or another. These works have the ability to evoke a state of introspection in the viewer’s subconscious. In most cases the audience will not be able to explain why they have been deeply affected by the work. Nevertheless, the works have the uncanny ability to remain and transform their state of mind.

In this exhibition the sculptures and photographs both freeze eternal moments in time that remain in people’s minds forcing them to face their fears. It is the hope of both Artists that this work will liberate them from their shadows and in doing so create a more integrated person. We hope that you will enter this exhibition as one person, leave as another.

The exhibition, initially held at the iconic Gdańsk Shipyard, brought together two artists from diverse generations and backgrounds. Visitors were able to experience the unique aesthetics of the collaborative project in a breathtaking space of 1500m².

Roger Ballen

Born in New York and based in Johannesburg, Roger Ballen is one of the most important photographers of his generation. He has published over 25 books internationally, and has collections in the most prominent museums in the world. His oeuvre, which spans five decades, began with the documentary photography field but evolved into the creation of distinctive fictionalized realms that also integrate the mediums of film, installation, theatre, sculpture, painting and drawing. Ballen describes his works as 'existential psychodramas' that touch the subconscious mind and evoke the underbelly of the human condition.

They aim to break through the repressed thoughts and feelings by engaging him in themes of chaos and order, madness or unruly states of being, the human relationship to the animal world, life and death, universal archetypes of the psyche and experiences of otherness. Through his unique, complex visual language, and universal and profound themes, the artist has made a lasting contribution to the field of art. Ballen has also been the creator of several acclaimed and exhibited short films that are on many occasions are linked to particular photographic series. Roger Ballen is one of the artists who represented South Africa at the Venice Biennale Arte 2022.

Tomasz Górnicki

One of the leading Polish sculptors of the young generation, puts existential topics at the center of his considerations. Using both figuration and abstraction, the artist explores borderline emotional states. Using myths and symbols, he shows the influence that culture has on an individual. In his works, he moves between personal/ intimate and public/ institutional spheres. Breaking exposition patterns, he installs his sculptural realizations in public spaces, and confronts the viewer with works about the oppressiveness of social and political institutions.

The universal motive of his work is corporeality, expressive nudity, and the limits of eroticism. Tomasz Górnicki collaborates with artists of various media, revealing the interdisciplinary nature of sculpture, thus increasing the circle of recipients of this field of art. He has collaborated with the leading creators of Polish street art. His works have been exhibited at numerous individual and collective exhibitions in Europe and around the world. In 2022, the digital image of his work in the form of the NFT token was the first to appear on the Polish art market.

The project is constantly evolving, so we encourage cultural institutions and other interested entities all over the world to participate. As we work to ensure that "The Core" remains available to the general public, we're open to various forms of cooperation. Private collectors and galleries are also invited to reach out regarding our other works and exhibitions.

Roger Ballen

Email:info@rogerballen.com Instagram:@rogerballen Website:www.rogerballen.com

Tomasz Górnicki

Email:goornicki.tomasz@gmail.com Instagram:@goornicki.tomasz Website:www.tomaszgornicki.com

Explore the dark side

Face your fears

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