Hubert Czerepok. Eternal flame

Hubert Czerepok
Eternal Flame

Curator: Sylwia Szymaniak
Exhibition Coordination: Ewa Chacianowska

The exhibition “Eternal Flame” by Hubert Czerepok delves into the symbolism that shapes our national identity. Czerepok poses intriguing questions about the necessity of symbols being tied to specific places, events, and individuals. He explores whether these symbols can embody values and energies that help forge a national community beyond geopolitical boundaries. Through his works, Czerepok examines how the spirit can act as a vessel for the state. Can national identity persist and evolve without the physical presence of a country or the tangible objects of worship and cult? How did symbols of tradition and culture, rooted in 19th-century emigration, become the most significant and inalienable aspects of Polish national identity?

Hosted at the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok, the “Eternal Flame” exhibition touches upon the enigmatic concept of Towianism. This idea emerged from a region currently at the crossroads of Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus, where cultural exchanges have historically been significant. Czerepok traces the origins of concepts that have shaped our collective consciousness, seeking reflections of myths in contemporary reality. He highlights how our simplest behaviors are often steeped in the past. The exhibition also attempts to define the role and place of our nation in the consciousness of both 19th-century and modern Europe. It weaves a multifaceted narrative that began in a Poland without defined borders and continues to this day, compelling us to constantly reassess and analyze our identity.

Hubert Czerepok is a distinguished graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, the Jan van Eyck Academie in Maastricht, and the Higher Institute for Fine Arts in Antwerp. He has held numerous solo exhibitions in Poland and abroad, including “The Beginning” at Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw (2017), “History and Utopia” at the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok (2013), “Lux Aeterna” at Galeria Żak | Branicka in Berlin (2012), and “Devil’s Island” at La Criée centre d’art contemporain in Rennes (2009). Czerepok’s works have also been featured in various events and group exhibitions, such as the 19th Biennial in Sydney “You Imagine What You Desire” (2014) and “Cultural Transference” at EFA Project Space / The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York (2012). Currently, he is a professor at the Academy of Art in Szczecin, where he leads the Experimental Film Studio at the Faculty of Media Art, Photography, and Experimental Film.

Accompanying events:

02.08.2024 (Friday), at 6 p.m.
Opening
free entrance

03.08.2024 (Saturday), 12:00 p.m.
Guided tour with artist and curator
free entrance