Live at Buff Hall Works and Outtakes 2020-20224
Rafal Karcz (Poland) solo exhibition
ANNO DOMINI is proud to present a rare solo exhibit of Karcz' unique photography originating from Krakow, Poland.
When viewing this series, one feels as if we were an unobserved bystander in a music club where everyone else seems to know each other. His experimental approach to chemical processes after film development causes Karcz' images to feel lush, hazy and often times confusing. Karcz captures the raw energy of Krakow’s underground music scene with a poetic eye and destructive processes that transports us to a liminal space between reality and haunting, dreamlike visions. ~Anno Domini
About the Artist:
I was born in Kraków, Poland, in 1969, and I have lived here, with some interruptions, throughout my life. My serious engagement with art began in 2007/2008. Initially, I immersed myself in painting and printmaking, focusing on linocut and woodcut techniques. Over time, my interests expanded to photography and experimental processes related to it, including graphic interventions in photo prints. While these interventions aren’t entirely my invention, they are inspired by drawing, which I hold in high regard, much like the old Renaissance masters. My journey has taken me through graphics, drawing, and photography.
I utilize various media for drawing, including pencils, markers, pens, and occasionally watercolor stain. I’ve always been drawn to images with distractions and blurs, as opposed to the so-called clear images associated with advertising and glamour. This preference led me to experiment with mechanically erasing print layers, and later, chemistry became part of my process when a chemist friend helped me devise a set of solvents specifically for printer ink.
In the past, I was intrigued by bars, pubs, taverns, and other entertainment venues, capturing quick, spontaneous snapshots of participation and randomness. However, my focus has shifted to carefully composed scenes, creating events and situations that resonate with me more now. I find that I can depict these better and feel more connected to them.
I never felt a need to belong to any club culture; my interest lay in random scenes that I later processed in my imagination, framed, and reworked. This approach allows me to draw inspiration from everything around me. It’s about aestheticization—composing and arranging forms and colors in a way that resonates with me.
~Rafal Karcz 2024 A.D.
Exhibition dates: September 6-October 19, 2024