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About the Artist: Polish artist Krzysztof Wodiczko (b. 1943) is internationally recognized for his interrogative public works that project words and images onto monuments and building facades. Since 1980, Wodiczko has undertaken more than 90 of these site-specific projections in over 40 cities worldwide, inviting audiences around the globe to engage with provocative questions about community, history, and public space. Originally, he created the projections using slides, but now they include both live and recorded videos. The architectural backdrop, superimposed images, and audio narration that comprise the projects all inform one another, creating a rich union of form and content that addresses some the most prevalent issues facing society today. Represented by Galerie Lelong, New York, Wodiczko currently lives and works between New York and Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he has been a professor at Harvard University since 2010.
What You Need to Know: Wodiczko is the subject of the new documentary film, The Art of Un-War (2022), directed by Maria Niro and produced by Crossing Water Films. Focusing on the life and work of the influential artist, the film will make its New York premiere at the annual New York Jewish Film Festival (NY JFF) at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center on January 14. The screening will be followed by a Q+A with Niro and Wodiczko, which will be moderated by Darsie Alexander, senior deputy director and chief curator of the Jewish Museum in New York. The Art of Un-War won best documentary at the New Jersey International Film Festival, a special juried prize at the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, and was the opening night feature of Artecinema in Naples.
Why We Like It: The Art of Un-War is narrated by the 80-year-old artist and traces his decades-long practice and desire to “un-war.” The film offers an unparalleled look into the mind of one of the century’s most significant creators and provides deep insight into his most famous projection works. A key driver of Wodiczko’s oeuvre is the desire for positive change in the world, and for his work to operate as a tool for healing. This sentiment is underscored in the documentary; Niro said Wodiczko’s work “asks us to consider new horizons for what can be done with film and where it can be shown.” The inclusion of conversations between Wodiczko and other artists and theorists, such as Dread Scott and Rosalyn Deutsche, adds yet another intriguing layer to The Art of Un-War, making for both an informative and inspirational viewing experience.
See featured images from the film and premieres below.
Premier of The Art of Un-War at Artecinema, Teatro San Carlo, Naples (2022). Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York.
Still from The Art of Un-War (2022). Produced and directed by Maria Niro. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York.
Still from The Art of Un-War (2022). Produced and directed by Maria Niro. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York.
Still from The Art of Un-War (2022). Produced and directed by Maria Niro. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York.
Still from The Art of Un-War (2022). Produced and directed by Maria Niro. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York.
Learn more about Krzysztof Wodiczko’s The Art of Un-War here.