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Papers by Wojciech Szymański

Jagiellonian University Press, Nov 1, 2021

In 2012, the British-Canadian novelist Rachel Cusk published a memoir entitled Aftermath, the thi... more In 2012, the British-Canadian novelist Rachel Cusk published a memoir entitled Aftermath, the third volume in her genre-bending collection of auto/biographical writings which started with A Life's Work: On Becoming a Mother in 2001, and continued with The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy-her take on the Italienische Reise-released in 2012. Subtitled On Marriage and Separation, Aftermath was published not only in the aftermath of an unprecedentedly hostile reaction to her previous auto/biographical narratives (see Kusek 2017: 149), but also in the aftermath of the writer's separation from her husband. The notion of aftermath, this consequence of an event whose nature is unfortunate and disastrous, remains the book's central metaphor. In principle, Aftermath is vitally concerned with the notion of after-effects, with what happens when "the gears of life [go] into the reverse" (Cusk 2013: 2) and, consequently, provides its readers with a documentation of the "disorder," "fragmentation," and "impermanence" (26, 94) that are brought about by a traumatic event. A sense of loss is, perhaps, best illustrated by Cusk being forced to extract one of her teeth which-much like her marriage-is diagnosed as being "beyond repair" (29). The writer's concern with what happens to "the world of the mouth" when its integral part becomes removed, "what happens when the tooth is gone" (31-32), is tantamount to her apprehension regarding one's condition in the wake of an ordeal. In short, Cusk acknowledges the fact that the new principle of her life is that of "chaos" and "brokenness" (2); that her new situation is a regression and not progress; that her marriage was synonymous with civilisation and that now "the barbarians are cavorting in the ruins" (122). "I no longer have a life," she says. "It's an afterlife; it's all aftermath" (91). However, as early as in the first chapter of her memoir, Cusk introduces another meaning of aftermath: the idea of "second mowing"-"a second brought to you by CO w metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Jagiellonian Univeristy Repos

Modus. Prace z historii sztuki, 2013

Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies, 2017

This paper offers a reading of Ali Smith’s 2014 novel, How to Be Both, in the context of Aby Warb... more This paper offers a reading of Ali Smith’s 2014 novel, How to Be Both, in the context of Aby Warburg’s iconological interpretation of the frescoes by Francesco del Cossa in the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara. Having reconstructed the story behind the creation, attribution, and reading of the frescoes, the paper argues for recognizing them as a major source of inspiration for Smith’s narrative. Furthermore, the principle of “bothness” is recognized as the novel’s foremost concern; both formal—pertaining to paratextual, graphic, and typeset solutions employed by the narrative—and thematic. With the help of Warburg’s concept of Nachleben and his proposition of traveling forms and images, How to Be Both is ultimately identified as a novel vitally indebted to Warburg’s theoretical and interpretative model. Last but not least, it testifies to the “after-life” of Warburg’s ideas. (RK, WSZ

RIHA Journal, 2015

In recent years, Krakow's district of Podgórze has witnessed the erection of several works in pub... more In recent years, Krakow's district of Podgórze has witnessed the erection of several works in public space that are concerned with the memory of the place. A monumental piece erected by Witold Cęckiewicz in the 1960s in the former Płaszów Concentration Camp has been joined by contemporary works. It is especially the Ghetto Heroes Square and its direct vicinity that have been addressed by artists and designers who, through their works, i.e. Mateusz Okoński's Purification, Łukasz Skąpski's 10 cubic metres of Krakow's wintertime air, and a structure in the form of multiple chairs by Lewicki and Łatak's studio entered into a dialogue with the paradigm of counter-monumentality and postmemory. For common viewers and casual passers-by, as well as for residents of the district, these works are hardly evocative of recent history, or the events they are meant to commemorate. Do these works, with their consciously taken position on the verge of the visible, that is, on the verge of what can be considered art, fulfil their commemorative role? Can the excess of the invisible change at some point into the visible? These questions offer a starting point not only for the discussion of the abovementioned works in the context of analogous creations in contemporary art of the last two decades, but also for a wider discussion of monumental and counter-monumental art after the Shoah.

Royal Studies Journal, 2019

Polish historiography concerned with the lives of kings and queens has-as yet-not been subjected ... more Polish historiography concerned with the lives of kings and queens has-as yet-not been subjected to a major revaluation and re-interpretation from the point of view of gay and lesbian or queer studies. This is despite the fact that at least eight rulers in the course of Polish history have had their supposed heteronormativity contested. Given Polish historians' general reluctance to address the issue of the rulers' sexuality and-if indeed addressed-the homophobic entanglements that characterise the historical discourse, two cases appear to be particularly valid and illuminating: Bolesław II the Generous (1042-1081) and Henry III of France (1551-1589)-known in Poland as Henry I. For centuries, the two rulers have been-more than any other Polish king or queen-subjected to defamatory criticism. The issue of their sexuality has been deliberately used as a major instrument in creating their "black legend." It is their sexuality-regardless of the "real" psycho-sexual identity of the two kings-that has played a major role in creating a homophobic fabrication of their image as evil and immoral rulers, the former being presented as the Sodomite "Murderer" King, the latter as the Sodomite "Traitor" King. This article investigates a history of textual and visual homophobic representations of both rulers, scrutinising not only traditional historical documents (such as chronicles and annals), but also a variety of literary sources from the period (poetry and lampoons) and images (prints, drawings, and murals). Special attention will be paid to the rulers' conceptualisation as the antithesis of the "good king" trope, as well as to some contemporary attempts at reclaiming and rewriting traditional history within the framework of queer studies.

Teksty Drugie, 2018

I. Fotografia-medium traumatyczne Chociaż nie każde zdjęcie jest fotografią traumy rozumianą jako... more I. Fotografia-medium traumatyczne Chociaż nie każde zdjęcie jest fotografią traumy rozumianą jako ślad i świadectwo wydarzenia traumatycznego, fotografię jako taką pojmować można jako medium traumatyczne. W swojej, poświęconej właśnie fotografii i traumie, książce Ulrich Baer wskazuje na ów istotny, ontologiczny wręcz związek, jaki zachodzi między medium fotograficznym a traumą. Niemiecki badacz zauważa bowiem, że "fotografie potrafią uchwycić odłamki traumatycznego czasu" 1. Konfrontują nas tym samym z możliwością istnienia takiej koncepcji czasu, w której ten składa się z pojedynczych wybuchów i eksplozji, nie będąc wcale mityczną ciągłością, jaką wyraża się tradycyjnie za pomocą heraklitejskiej metafory płynnej rzeki 2. Baer zwraca uwagę także na to, że można przypuszczać, iż

Przegląd Kulturoznawczy, 2014

W setną rocznice wybuchu Wielkiej Wojny (1914–1918) w światowej humanistyce coraz bardziej zauwaz... more W setną rocznice wybuchu Wielkiej Wojny (1914–1918) w światowej humanistyce coraz bardziej zauwazalne stają sie proby przewartościowania wiedzy o tym wydarzeniu historycznym oraz modeli jego rozumienia. Nowe i interdyscyplinarne ujecia tematu Wielkiej Wojny, wykorzystujące perspektywy wywodzące sie z takich dziedzin, jak kulturoznawstwo, studia nad wizualnością (visual studies), literaturoznawstwo, muzeologia czy teatrologia, pojawiają sie zwlaszcza w kregu anglo-, francusko- i niemieckojezycznym. Łączące ref eksje nad obrazami i tekstem badania nad pamiecią i postpamiecią Wielkiej Wojny (jako tekstem kultury) zajmują w nich miejsce kluczowe.

Przegląd Kulturoznawczy, Dec 23, 2014

Pu b l i k a c j a o b j ę t a p r a we m a u t o r s k i mi. Ws z e l k i e p r a wa z a s t r z... more Pu b l i k a c j a o b j ę t a p r a we m a u t o r s k i mi. Ws z e l k i e p r a wa z a s t r z e ż o n e. Ko p i o wa n i e i r o z p o ws z e c h n i a n i e z a b r o n i o n e. Pu b l i k a c j a p r z e z n a c z o n e j e d y n i e d l a k l i e n t ó w i n d y wi d u a l n y c h. Z a k a z r o z p o ws z e c h n i a n i a i u d o s t ę p n i a n i a w s e r wi s a c h b i b l i o t e c z n y c h .

Werkwinkel, 2015

Despite J.M. Coetzee’s ostensible interest in the issues of - largely speaking - visuality, the l... more Despite J.M. Coetzee’s ostensible interest in the issues of - largely speaking - visuality, the links between Coetzee’s oeuvre and ‘images’ have not been sufficiently explored either by art or literary critics. The paper offers a detailed discussion of the cooperation between Coetzee and the Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere which has so far resulted in one installation and two art books co-authored by Coetzee and De Bruyckere. Special attention will be paid to the piece “Cripplewood/Kreupelhout” shown in the Belgian Pavilion of the 2013 Venice Biennial and the catalogue published in its wake. Also, a number of questions related to the nature of Coetzee’s contribution to both projects, the role of a curator and his relationship with the artist, as well as the catalogue’s generic affiliation and its position in Coetzee’s body of works are thoroughly addressed.