Looking for meaning in history

Looking for meaning in history. To be aware of one’s own historicity, contingency and historical construction. To become aware of one’s own becoming. Not to let the overload of signs and images be a postmodern cudgel, not to become metaphysically homeless or even cynical; this is how I would characterize the core concerns of Martychowiec’s art. To this end, he is constantly looking for metaphors that are conceptually and symbolically reflecting these values.

The artist writes about this neon work, which is part of the Reading history cycle:

“Looking for meaning in history establishes a strongly existential base with­in the project as the statement handwritten by the artist, simply means looking for meaning whatsoever (and so the meaning of life).

As much as one cannot claim and position one’s identity without the con­text (of history), an object cannot become a work of art, without a context (of an artistic practice, history, museum or gallery space, etc.). And so looking for meaning is incorporated into a practice of creation of objects, whose inherent quality we always look out for, is precisely, the meaning (we ask ourselves what does this or that art mean). And in case of this pro­ject and of Martychowiec’s practice, the meaning can be found and created only through positioning oneself, or one’s creations, within history. “