Fuck Poverty

“Fuck poverty” (jebać biedę) is an expression functioning in everyday discussions and on the Internet, often abbreviated to the hashtag #jb. It expresses ordinary contempt for the poor and admiration for all that is expensive and luxury. This phrase is often used ironically by people aspiring to a higher status, which is currently out of their reach. The abbreviation “jb” could just as well denote jebać bogactwo (“fuck richness”). This phenomenon (pretending to be of a lower status) materialises as “poor chic” or “poor tourism.” In both cases, what comes to the foreground is a desire to be somebody else. Taking on the form of a stained glass window, the work fits in with the extant architecture and style of the edifice. In Marusińska’s project, the virtual message materialises through the use of craftsmanship, which is identified with high and timeless material value (due to uniqueness). It is contrasted with the ephemeral form of the hashtag (#), whose power depends on popularity measured as a number of repetitions.

photo: Wojciech Chrubasik