Pawel Dudko

BIO

Author of spatial installations, multimedia, photography, and scenography.

Paweł Dudko holds a PhD in Arts and MSc Eng in Architecture. In the years 2012-22, he was a researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture of the Białystok University of Technology.

His works have been exhibited in many galleries in Poland and abroad, i.a. Mark Rothko Art Centre (Daugavpils, Latvia), XX1 (Warsaw, Poland), Musée du Jouet (Moirans-en-Montagne, France), Yanaki Manasiev Gallery (Veliko Tyrnovo, Bulgaria), Gallery of Modern Art miejsce sztuki44 (Świnoujscie, Poland) and at many reviews and festivals, i.a. Dizaino Savaitė (Vilnius, Lithuania), Contested Cities conference (Madrid, Spain), The International Artistic Campus FAMA (Świnoujscie, Poland).

Scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2020) and the President of the City of Białystok (2015).

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Dream Project: re.flex.ions (2023)

"Re.flex.ions" consists of hundreds of points distributed in space. Their positions are determined by two space-filling Sierpiński curves discovered by Wacław Sierpiński, a Polish mathematician of the late 19th and 20th centuries, who referred to himself as an "explorer of infinity".

Countless points of light form cascades of reflections, imparting an otherworldly quality to the image. The richness of colors, a defining element of this artwork, plays a vital role, ranging from vibrant, intense hues to subtle pastels, creating a spectacular mosaic of colors. This explosion of colors gives the work energy and dynamism, attracting the eye and stimulating the senses.

Densely arranged lights move along predetermined paths, enveloping the viewer in a visual experience that beckons contemplation of immersion within ethereal spaces. "Re.flex.ions" evokes an introspective atmosphere, encouraging exploration of emotions and a physical connection with the abstract image.

Abstract art generates images and associations that rely on subtle reference points, such as contextual relationships, object interactions, and physical scale. Project responsiveness serves as a foundation for establishing these reference points. The resulting images recall both cosmic and microscopic visions. They are organic on one hand and mechanical in their movement on the other.

The perception of "re.flex.ions" varies depending on the device. Factors such as the image's context, size, and relationship to our physical body influence the interpretation. Smaller devices often evoke micro-scale associations, while larger screens transport observers into an indeterminate cosmic abyss. When projected onto traditional CRT monitors, the artwork assumes the aura of a laboratory experiment observed from a safe distance, as if through glass or the lens of an operator's camera. Immersion replaces mere spectatorship, fostering an experiential engagement.

In reference to responsiveness, "re.flex.ions" adapts to the aspect ratio of the display, but also enables interaction based on the position of a mobile device. The device's placement and movement in our hand add an additional layer, enhancing immersion and emphasizing the image's universal character.

To discover the full potential of "re.flex.ions," watch it on various screens with different orientations and aspect ratios.

↓ Click on the image below to reproduce the artwork ↓

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What is Responsive Art to Pawel Dudko?

My understanding of responsive art has been largely shaped by my earlier artistic experiences, including studies in architecture, my position at the Faculty of Architecture at BUT, and my work in scenography and installation productions. These experiences have greatly influenced how I think about this aspect of digital art.

Spatial experiences have taught me that everything exists in context. Although the idea of the white cube as a place of exhibition tries to reduce the impact of the environment on the perception of art, the size of the room and available space will still determine the reception of the artwork to some extent. Moreover, the physical path to the artwork and the experience before the exhibition, the journey so to speak, can also affect the final reception.

Digital art appears in various contexts, often very diverse or even those that we would prefer to avoid. When artists publish their work, they lose some influence on whether their work will appear in the context of foreign elements, interfaces, in what quality, and with what fidelity it will be displayed. This may seem like an objectionable experience, as the work may be poorly received due to colors, deformations, cropping, or distracting surroundings. However, limitations can become challenges and inspire artists to seek solutions.

Responsiveness derives directly from the programming approach to the multiplicity of devices offered by modern times. From small phone screens, through private computer monitors and televisions, to large-scale projections, responsive art seeks answers to the diversity of contexts, associations, and meanings. It is worth remembering that the scale affects not only perception, but also associations and meanings. It encourages artists to test their work in different configurations and to prepare it to appear on a given screen.

Responsive art can address various topics. The most obvious one is aspect ratio agnosticism - adapting the image to different resolutions and screen ratios, an elementary yet useful property. Thanks to this, presentations with foreign elements such as frames, interface elements, and unnecessary white space are avoided. Adjusting the display method can change perception - allowing the work to be viewed in portrait, landscape, or 1:1 mode, while giving a certain context and influencing the meaning.

In certain situations, the aforementioned change may directly affect the displayed details. I'm thinking here of phenomena directly related to the Cartesian plane. In the case of objects whose properties are based on the coordinate system, the behavior of the same work may change and react to the available space. The general visual characteristic will remain similar, but details and/or behavior may vary drastically depending on the screen ratio.

In summary, I perceive responsive generative art as both a reaction to the multitude of display forms and diverse contexts in which art appears, and as a conscious tool for the artist to expand and enrich their work with new meanings depending on the anticipated context.

/ TGAM's NOTES

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Pawel meticulously creates atmospheres that evokes you out of this world. With mesmerizing smooth transitions and astonishing control of color and lighting, his pieces truly resonates with a dream.