Exhibition catalogue, 2016.
ISBN: 978-953-8027-05-5
36 pages, 23.5 x 16.4 cm
Bilingual (Croatian / English), softcover
Publisher: Institute for Contemporary Art, Zagreb
Editor: Janka Vukmir
Authors: Jerzy Olek, Jean de Breyne, Janka Vukmir

Exhibition Elusive Dimension by Jerzy Olek was conceived in
conjunction by Jean de Breyne, Gallerie L’Ollave, originally from
Lyon and Institute for Contemporary Art in Zagreb, to draw
attention to the parallelisms in development of art practices of
Polish and Croatian art scenes, namely those from Wroclaw and
Zagreb during socialist times.

“Analytical photography, geometry and spatial research adorn the
works of Jerzy Olek presented at the exhibition. Featured works,
publications and documentation were made in the range of almost a
quarter of a century in various media such as drawings,
photographs, collages, graphics, sound recordings, computer
graphics, wall installations and videos. The works show his
analytical and theoretical approach to the research of space, spatial
illusions, dimensions and dimensionlessness of space, but especially
charming is his persistent ludism of inverting possible forms, rules
and the common perception of light, shadow and logic, whether the
works were created in analogue or digital techniques…
Also, in the history of contemporary art it has often been stated that
the communist countries of the 20th century, Yugoslavia and
Poland, along with Hungary, have been at the forefront of the
implementation of video art, which in many countries of the former
Eastern Europe was non-existent until after the fall of Berlin wall.”
Janka Vukmir

Jerzy Olek is one of the pioneers of the movement of expanded
media and photography in Poland during the 70s. The founder of
the gallery “Foto-Medium- Art” (1977), which was active in
Wroclaw until 2007, and which is now in Krakow under the
auspices of the Foundation of the Museum of New Art. Since the 70s
he is a member of the editorial board “Fotografja”, “European
Photography”, “Project”, “Art Life”, “Arteon” and “Artluk”. Since
1989 he was the curator of the “Photoconference East-West”. Since
1999, he is the artistic director of the festival “Labyrinth” in
Klodzko. He is a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan
and Gdansk, and at the University of Wroclaw.
Since 1991 he is realizing the artistic idea “Dimensionlessness of
illusion” through multimedia exhibitions and publications. He is also
the author of numerous books and publications in Polish and
foreign journals.

Jean de Breyne, co-curator of the exhibition, is a French writer,
photographer, publisher and one of the co-founders of the L’Ollave
gallery in Lyon, now the publishing house.

Janka Vukmir, co-curator of the exhibition is Zagreb based art critic
and curator, co-founder and president of the Institute for
Contemporary Art.