Residency

You then arrive at an oasis of smooth roads and manicured fairways

As the first artist in residence at The Art Department, Hannah Polak spent two months in and around our project space, exploring the depths and shallows of human psychology for her own artistic research.

Polak intuitively touched upon different concepts of the contemporary self, zooming in on idolized western pop culture and its unexpected connection to spirituality.

Moving from glittering clouds of pixie dust and uplifting Disney songs into more real human environments, she ended her residency by presenting a video installation set amidst a quirky landscape of childhood memories.

Also the artist introduced Lohan Pecan, a dreamy character sculpted out of love and admiration, a product of her time. Set up as a shrine, as a tribute to the self, Polak’s work shows a striking account of what it means to be a human being in today’s world.

hannah polak smooth roads

The Art Department – Hannah Polak
April – May 2015

The residency progam by The Art Department is supported by the AFK (Amsterdam Fund for the Arts).