Rub your eyes – more than meets the eye

Rub your eyes – more than meets the eye

Venue:

BWA Awangarda Gallery

BWA Design Gallery

(Before the exhibition:

BWA Awangard Gallery is the biggest gallery in Wroclaw. It mainly showcases contemporary art. It is based in the former site of old Hatzfel Palace. During World War II it was destroyed and nowadays it is nicknamed as "living ruin". The looks outside of the gallery is already very astonishing. Moreover, there are lots of exhibitions and activities which take place in the gallery. For sure you will find something interesting whenever you pass through the gallery.)

Exhibitions in a film festival are not only about movies. During this year's New Horizons International Film Festival, exhibition “Rub Your Eyes” showed the development of story-telling entertainments in different countries . The exhibition also showed the evolution of moving pictures – how moving pictures were invented , rather than showing the history of cinema. This exhibition showed the collection of Werner Nekes. It does not matter if you don't know who Werner Nekes is. The most important part is to enjoy this exhibition and experience a surprising exploration.

This exhibition contained a wide variety of exhibits from different countries. There are many different sections, for example “anamorphosis” (image that is only legible when distortion is resolved),

panorama (the 360 degrees picture), illusionistic picture (discover another verison of the picture if you change the pattern),

vertical perspective theatre (the earliest 3D version of pictures), shadow theatre (using only shadows to show the story) and much more. You will be surprised that the form of entertainment we are still enjoying today has such a long history. Take Panorama as an example; in the exhibition it also explained the structure of the Panorama Museum: the dark corridor before is for rendering the audience to forget the outside world and adapt to the panorama; If you have not visited the exhibition, you will not notice that with a specific placement of the pawns and bishops of French Chess a secret political allegiance of Napoleon Bonaparte will be casted as a shadow.

As I have said before, this exhibition showed the evolution of moving pictures. Of course there are some items related to films. There is a section of “phenakistiscope disc”. On the disc there are figures of a series of consecutive but still actions.

When the disc is moved in circular direction, the figure looks like it is moving. The technique of phenakistiscope disc is still now in use. Let me share a secret with you – when I visited the “Pixar 25 years of animation exhibition” in HongKong I also saw the phenakistiscope disc with all the characters from Toy Story Triology! It is not an out-dated item at all. Also, the earilest form of moving picture was generated by showing a series of consecutive photos. Having no idea what I am talking about? Do remember to roll the machine which requires you to insert the coin (it is on the 2^nd floor) and experience it by yourself.

The exhibition was divided into two parts : the first part showed the way that led to creation of moving pictures as we know them today, while the second part was with the theme “Eroticism”. You will discover that how prevalent erotic ideas can be shown in the daily life. From the expensive ivory to a common chocolate box, there is possibility to apply erotic idea on everything. Don't be surprised if you see other erotic pictures in the exhibition. It is just what human crave for during our entire life: sex and food. There is a lot more to see in the exhibition. Just like an old motto: it is more than meets the eye.