HOTEL MEDUSA / HÔTEL DE MÉDUSE /
The story, told in seven pictures, takes place between the nine characters, from dusk to dawn.The main inspiration for the series is the painting by Théodore Géricault „Medusa Raft” commemorating the events that took place 17 years after the French Revolution. A tragedy occurred during the voyage of the frigate „La Méduse” off the coast of Senegal.
The ship crashed into the reefs and was starting sink. There were only a few lifeboats, the captain ordered the construction of a huge raft that could accommodate crew members, soldiers and the passengers. Senior officers, a captain and a governor got the lifeboats. The boats were to tow the raft with about 200 castaways to the shore with ropes. Unfortunately, in a short time another lifeboats cut off the ropes, leaving the castaways on the raft to their tragic fate. During a two-week fight for life, it came the Dante scenes. Only a dozen survived.Gericault’s painting depicts the moment when the castaways saw on the horizon the ship „Argus”, hoping for salvation. The drama of the scene is a dark and ominous wave that comes from the left side of the picture, which becomes a harbinger of imminent death. On the foreground was shown a man in red hood. It was Delacroix – frend of Gericault. He was shown like a person with out any hope, because the idea of french revolution died on the raft.
The scenarios of „Medusa Raft” and „Medusa Hotel” are similar – it starts with an idea, then follows betrayal, fight, fall, death, powerlessness. The difference is that when Gericault’s painting shows the ending of the story, in „Hotel Medusa”, the story does not end, it begins anew. The photos contain many hints and references to the figure of European painting, allowing for a deeper „touch” of the meaning of the presented story. They remind us of the cyclical nature of events. Such characters are „Marat” by Jacques-Louis David, „Orphan in the Cemetery”/”Massacre at Chios” by Eugene Delacroix, „The Third May 1808” by Francisco Goya, „The Fall of Icarus” by Pieter Bruegel, „Guernica” by Pablo Picasso, „Multiple Portrait” by Witkacy.
The use of classic elements in the scenery and the entire color palette transfer the attributes of French Romantic painting to the contemporary world. In „Hotel Medusa” cycle, the classic style change into the romantic period from french painting, which tells about big idea and it’s effect.
The perspective of the photos refers to the performance watched on the theater stage. The viewer becomes the witness of the events that inevitably progress. This convention of presentation and storytelling allows you to look at this process from a different perspective, provoking your own analysis and conclusions.
All this has already happened, names and places change. There are only the question – in which moment of the cycle of history are we now?
HOTEL MEDUSA I
Preparation for the spectacle. Two elements are important in the beginning of this story. The first is gluetraps with stuck flies – the symbol becomes meaningful after watching the entire story, it refers to the cyclical nature of the events presented. The second element is the lost coin under the chair on the right – just like flies, it is a combination of what has already happened and what is to come …
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA II
The hotel staff continues to prepare, the waiters find the coin from the previous painting. If we look closely, it turns out that it is a coin from the time of Gaius Julius Caesar, this is the second warning. The coin holders do not ask themselves how the coin got under the chair. It is precious, unique.
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA III
The third scene presents guests – world powers that decide the fate of the world. There are also warnings here. Europe is Marie Antoinette by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun. The first fly appears on her collarbone. The Russian is „The multiplied portrait” of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz. These references, in a deeper analysis, lead to the character of the compared characters, where heroism is combined with steadfastness and fear. There are piles of coins on the table, just like the one the waiters found. This comparison tells about the scale of our everyday life with the world of politics.
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA IV
The game was began. As the last, Arab join the table . Another person involved in the game is an Asian who plays the role of a croupier. On the left, the waitress finds a card on the ground, thus discovering that someone is cheating … Her portrait reference to „Orphan in the Cemetery” by Eugiene Delacroix, who is directly related to „The massacre an Chios”. it becomes extremely meaningful. Heralds what will happen in the next installment. Flies gather under the chandelier.
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA V
When a deception is discovered, everyone fights each other. The first victim appears – he is lieing on the ground, it’s refere to two pictures: „The third of May 1808” by Francisco Goya and „Guernica” by Pablo Picasso. One follows from the other. In „Hotel Medusa”, the victim, by closing his hands, does not allow the stigmas to be noticed, as is the case in the pictures quoted above. Maybe they’re just not there?
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA VI
References can be seen again among the dead participants of the scene. An American and a Russian are shown in a mirror image: „Marat” by Jacques-Louis David, on the right, in the shadows, you can see the hand of an Asian – this is „The Fall of Icarus” by Pieter Bruegel.
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
HOTEL MEDUSA VII
In „Meduza Hotel” the figure evoking the message of „Medusa Raft” is the woman in the last, 7th photo. With her hands in a gesture of helplessness, she becomes a symbol of the fell of an idea. The stylization refers to the romantic character of Cecilia Gallerani by Leonardo da Vinci, but here her ermine – a mysterious lover (Ludovico Sforza) was taken away, condemning her to a life without hope and love.
Photography. Limited edition 8 + 2AP.
Print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 940×1850 mm ( without passepartout 740×1650 mm).
”Hotel Meduza” on International Exhibition NordArt 2019 in Büdelsdorf, Germany – read in news here.
”Hotel Meduza” on solo Exhibition at Leica Gallery 2020 in Warsaw, Poland – read in news here.
