Connective (t)issues
Zuzanna Dziedzic
Royal Academy Of Art The Hague KABK
This sculptural installation combines glazed ceramics, papier-mâché, latex, and aluminum. Its title Connective (T)issues refers to one of the primary types of tissue composing our bodies. One that maintains the proper structure of these complex systems by linking and protecting their parts. In the context of the work, the term refers to the installation's primary subjects: internal organs of various species. My ceramics draw inspiration from bodily components such as the alimentary canal of a cockroach, the human cochlea, the cow's stomach, and many others. Through their ambiguous forms and colors, the sculptures blur the line between human, animal, and broader nature. Simultaneously, they evoke life no less than disease and decomposition. The work invites encounters that oscillate between experiencing both the familiar (parts of yourself) and the strange (the external organic world). It reveals that ultimately, these two always exist in relation to one another. Connective (T)issues act as a reminder that in the contemporary world, all bodies face multiple shared concerns: progressing ecological degradation, commodification, and uncertain technological advancements. I strive to show that the inherent interdependence and interconnectedness of all organic beings cannot be underestimated. Within my work, the body becomes an ecosystem, and the ecosystem becomes a body. Entangled with non-human elements, the human forms merge into a fantastical multi-species hybrid. A fleshy entity uncontrolled by reason, yet holding its own agency.