born 1975 in Łódź
A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Ska runs the Studio of Sculpture and Spatial Activities at the Art Academy of Szczecin. She is an author of installations, objects and videos in which she refers to the spheres of sexuality and the subconscious.
In her art, Ska questions the socially and culturally established models of sexual identity, affected expression, interpersonal relations and life roles. She treats installations, videos and objects as visual and often also as haptic metaphors, whose aim is to remodel the social and cultural patterns of thought and behavior. In her most recent works, Ska provokes a confrontation with the myth of productivity as a category of assessing people, reflects on victimizing and perversity of touch in art and everyday life, and explores functions of passionate feelings such as love and hatred.
Aleksandra Ska, The Birth of Capitalism, 2016, video, 1’3”
The work by Aleksandra Ska leaves the viewer with hunger for more and a sense of oversaturation at the same time. The hunger stems from the unclear message conveyed by the video-projection that features a vibrating bright stain adopting different shapes, whereas the oversaturation is caused by the aural layer of the work. The recording of the screams of terrified people, mad or finding themselves in a life threatening situation causes fear, disorientation and the willingness to escape. The only trope left by the artist is the suggestive title – for the “birth of Capitalism” entails not only the progress of civilisation, but also exploitation and suffering. As Ska explains, the work reflects the moods of people who became entangled in this system. The soundtrack was borrowed from horror movies, while the recording also includes the voice of the artist herself. The image was shot with a cell phone. Ska made use of the first model on the Polish market to feature a camera, a fact that becomes significant in the context of the work. However disturbing, The Birth of Capitalism also evokes the sense of grotesque and exaggeration.
