Zuzanna Dziedzic
Keywords: Bodies, Interconnection, Nature
Connective tissue is one of the primary types of tissue composing our bodies. It maintains the proper structure of these complex systems by linking and protecting their parts. In the context of my work, the term alludes to the primary subjects of this installation: internal organs from various kinds of bodies.
I developed my ceramics by drawing inspiration from bodily components such as the alimentary canal of a cockroach, the human cochlea, the cow's stomach, and many, many others. Through their ambiguous forms and colors, the sculptures blur the line between human, animal, and broader nature. They welcome encounters that oscillate between experiencing both the familiar and the alien, inviting reflection on our place within the environment.
The work also evokes the irrational aspects and agency of life itself. In opposition to defining the human self strictly by our ability to think rationally, it brings our fleshy existence to the fore. What is normally hidden within becomes revealed and invades the space. Entangled with other non-human elements, the human body becomes a part of a fantastical multi-species hybrid. In the contemporary world, all bodies face multiple shared concerns, yet their interconnection and mutual dependency remain underestimated. Here, the body becomes an ecosystem, the ecosystem a body.
