“Solar Recordings of Phone Calls with Family Members, Friends, and Scammers” uses long exposure times to document the “movement” of the sun across the sky.
The length of the exposure causes the film to solarize, turning the sun’s path into a dark, vaguely extraterrestrial streak cleaving across the sky in each frame. The exact time of each exposure is dictated by the duration of specific phone calls, allowing inferences to be made about the nature of the relationship and conversation that each photograph records.
Each image becomes a tangible artefact of a specific conversation, unveiling the intricacies of relationships and the subtleties of dialogues. Emerging patterns reveal the dynamics between individuals and the profoundness of their connections. Patterns emerge, revealing the ebb and flow of conversations, mirroring the dynamics between individuals and the profoundness of their connections.
Inspired by personal experiences as an immigrant reaching across global distances to connect with loved ones, this project also embraces the unexpected. Calls with scammers and advertisers inject satirical elements into the recordings, weaving unforeseen dimensions into the narrative.
The resulting monochromatic archive is a repository of intimate words, political debates, and the persistent yearning for distant loved ones. The simplicity of combining these often-banal landscapes and celestial streaks beckons viewers to ponder the intricacies of human relationships, the fragility of time, and the quest for meaningful connections in our paradoxically interconnected yet isolated world.
About Bart Urbanski
Bart Urbanski, a Glasgow-based artist from Poland, intricately weaves his immigrant perspective with an academic lens grounded in postcolonialism and phenomenology. With a background in Communication Design and an MFA from the Glasgow School of Art, Urbanski’s artistic journey is a combination of scholarly inquiry and creative expression. His oeuvre, predominantly captured through the lens of medium format photography, often delves into themes of immigration and migrant experiences.
An award-winning artist, Urbanski’s portfolio boasts an array of notable exhibitions, including showcases at Lens Culture in NYC and the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. His work has garnered attention from various publications and platforms, including PUNKT.HU, TBD, Edge Of Humanity Magazine, and Pine Island Press, further solidifying his position as a trailblazing artist at the forefront of contemporary discourse.
Driven by a profound commitment to education and cultural dialogue, Urbanski’s art serves as a catalyst for meaningful conversations surrounding identity, belonging, and the human condition. Through his thought-provoking imagery, he invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of existence and the enduring quest for connection in an ever-changing world. [Official Website]
