CICA Museum, 3-A Gallery
November 8 – 12, 2023
2023.11.08 – 12
Dear Anitya,
Anitya, the Sanskrit term for impermanence, resonates with the essence of life itself. It signifies the undeniable reality that all things in the universe are bound by the ceaseless dance of transformation. It encapsulates the fleeting nature of existence, the ceaseless flow of time, and the inevitable change that envelops everything.
The solo exhibition « Dear Anitya, » of the artist Daniela Macé-Rossiter at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art takes the form of a letter addressed to Anitya. Through three series of artworks: “Superfluid,” “It’s a Different State,” and « Mon(a)de”, the viewers are invited to contemplate the fluidity, transience, and interconnectedness that characterize the impermanent nature of existence itself.
Superfluid
An amalgamation of images delves into the realm of materials and objects, each existing at various levels of liquidity, encompassing, among others, stones, histologic images, diatoms, roots, and painted drapes. These images are printed onto a satin silk imitation produced from recycled plastic bottles, then arranged within the exhibition space, unfurling like expansive waves cascading in graceful pleats upon the floor. This endeavor is an exploration of the concept of superfluidity, a notion sparked by scientific research positing that space itself could be akin to a liquid with zero density.
Scientists Stefano Liberati and Luca Maccione propose a radical perspective, seeking to discover the fundamental nature of space : that the universe should be perceived as a “superfluid.” If spacetime were to be conceived as a fluid, it might offer insights into the movement of certain forces within this cosmic expanse. In the analogy of waves traversing water, this new perspective unfolds: “If spacetime is a fluid, then according to our calculations it must necessarily be a superfluid. This means that its viscosity value is extremely low, close to zero.” as elucidated by Liberati. Superfluidity represents a state of matter where it mimics a fluid with no discernible viscosity.
“Superfluid” captures the interplay and subtlety among these varied states of matter, along with the intrinsic perpetual motion within nature.
Within the context of the exhibition “Dear Anitya,” at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, two new additions to this ongoing series will be presented : “Superfluid 3” and “Superfluid 4.” As these works are exhibited for the first time, there are no existing images capturing their installation. Instead, I offer glimpses of the images prior to printing and installation, along with previous exhibition views displaying other pieces from this same series.
It’s a different state
“It’s a Different State” encapsulates an exploration of the intricate interplay between destruction and rebirth, a cycle inherent to the very fabric of existence. Through a collection of hydraulic prints, this series serves as a visual and conceptual journey that delves into the core of transformation.
At its heart, the technique employed in this series pushes the boundaries of experimentation.
The hydraulic prints serve as a metaphorical vessel, a medium through which the original image is subjected to a metamorphosis. Through a process that evokes a sense of melting, the essence of the original image is fused with the dynamic characteristics of a hydraulic structure. This fusion of the original image with the hydraulic structure is emblematic of the inherent connection between destruction and rebirth.
Central to this series is an exploration of the microcosm of life itself, as captured through the lens of histology imagery. The microscopic world of cells, tissues, and organs, when observed through a microscope, reveals an intricate tapestry of forms and patterns that make up the very essence of life. The histology imagery, sourced from the microstructure of cells, is subjected to a controlled process of decomposition. As the images teeter on the brink of disintegration, they are frozen in time, capturing a moment of transition where destruction and rebirth converge in a delicate balance. “It’s a Different State” invites us to partake in this timeless dance of transformation, urging us to embrace the ‘different state’ that emerges from the cycles of creation and dissolution.
The exhibition “Dear Anitya,” at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art will feature a display of 70 prints.
Mon(a)de
Both the object and the perspective within the photographic image consistently reveal themselves as fragments. Each element—whether it’s an object, a viewpoint, or a photographic image—can be apprehended as a monad, an indivisible unit. According to Leibniz’s perspective, our world is composed of individual entities called monads, each reflecting the entirety of the cosmos through its unique prism. Thus, each monad is distinct while containing the whole. Deleuze further develops this notion by exploring how these monads curve and unfold to generate an infinite sequence of events and interconnections.
It is within this framework that the concept of the monad finds its meaning in the series “Mon(a)de” The image-object presents itself as both an entity and a whole, simultaneously a part and a totality. All elements here are regarded as constitutive of a single materiality, an entirety, which is then flattened (in the image) and manipulated (in the fabric). The folds traverse spaces and elements in the image without distinction. They serve to connect different points on the image’s surface as well as its depths. Once folded, the image only partially unveils itself, much like satellite images only reveal a fraction of the multilayered reality of our planet.
The presented satellite views position themselves at the boundary between liquid and solid, water and land, merging in a certain fluidity. Selected for their fluid appearance, they capture elements that are both massive and fluid, highlighting the underlying unity of matter. Like each monad, these diverse elements of reality seem to come together in a way that transcends boundaries. These images capture the tension and fusion between elements, reminiscent of the concept of the fold.
More than just a physical curvature, the fold becomes here a metaphor transcending the physical realm to grasp the very structure of reality. Of the world, of worlds, of monads (Du monde, des mondes, des monades).
The first four pieces from the series will be exhibited in the frame of the ‘Dear Anitya,’ exhibition at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art.
Daniela Macé Rossiter’s work revolves around photography, employing a process of mise en abyme and stratification to explore the corporeality of the medium across various artistic forms. She usually starts her creative process with an image, whether photographic or drawn, which she then modifies and reinterprets in a different medium. In this creative journey, fabric and embroidery have become indispensable elements, enabling her to engage with images on various levels of materialization.
Transitioning from one medium to another, akin to a transformation between physical states of matter, is a means of capturing the image at a moment of explosion, as if it were a living organism undergoing change. Daniela Macé-Rossiter relishes the process of entering an image, stretching its boundaries to encompass a spectrum of possibilities, fracturing it into distinct moments or shapes while relinquishing its original form to embrace new ones. The artist perceives the image as possessing a dual nature, simultaneously existing as a surface and harboring depth, exploiting this ambivalence in a plastic way.
Her exploration delves into the concepts of cycles, lost origins, and transformation.
This fluidity draws inspiration from the perpetual motion of the world, echoing Romain Rolland’s notion of the “oceanic feeling,” a sensation that transcends time and space, immersing us in a profound, interconnected whole—an emotion more relevant than ever in our contemporary existence.
*1986 in Paris (FR) lives and works in Berlin.
Daniela Macé-Rossiter is a french-venezuelan female artist who grew up in an art, music and dance lovers family, on the Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and in the region of Paris (FR). She has been living in Berlin (GER) for the past 15 years. She obtained the Bachelor of Art at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Paris-Cergy (FR) in June 2008 and the Master Diploma at the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee (GER) in July 2012.
Her work has been shown in international exhibitions, including at the Pierre Cardin Museum (Saint-Ouen, FR), at Spoiler for the 10th Berlin Art Week (Berlin, GER), at Arnaud Deschin Galerie (Paris, FR), at Alicja Kwade Studio (Berlin, GER), at the Théâtre de la Michodière (Paris, FR), at SWDZ (Vienna, AUT), at DNA Gallery (Berlin, GER), at Brio Box (Paris, FR), at the Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz (Berlin, GER), at the Shoreditch Underground (London, UK), at So Stockholm (Stockholm, SWE), at XL Combines (Milano, IT), at the Fernsehturm Alexanderplatz (Berlin, GER), at the Kosmetiksalon Babette (Berlin, GER), at Galerie Spokojna for the VI Warsaw Festival of Art Photography (Warsaw, POL), at Galeria 13 (Mexico city, MEX).
