Iza Tarasewicz's Evolving Installations Explore Chaos Theory Through Sculptural Variations

Iza Tarasewicz won Poland's 2015 Views Award with an installation at Warsaw's Zacheta National Gallery of Art featuring Arena (2014), a five-meter hemp and asphalt-rubber rope hanging from the ceiling, and Turba, Turbo (2015), a rusting metal hoop structure suspended above the floor. The same year, a version of Turba, Turbo appeared at the Bienal de São Paulo with subtle differences in arrangement, including more metal discs and floor-based presentation. Tarasewicz's work explores chaos theory and hylozoism, where minor variations in production and installation dramatically alter viewer experience. Her Knight's Tour (2016), created during a Tbilisi residency, translates chess knight moves into three-dimensional wooden poles. Another project traced the global spread of the Polish mazurka dance to Brazil. The Warsaw installation felt precarious, swaying at the busy opening, while the São Paulo version appeared more robust. Tarasewicz is based in Warsaw and represented by Croy Nielsen and BWA Warszawa. Her work was included in a January group show at Croy Nielsen in Vienna and a March exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Arts Estonia in Tallinn. The article originally appeared in the January & February 2017 issue of ArtReview in association with K11 Art Foundation.