Everyone is the Architect of their own Fortune

STUDENT SECTION
Academy of Art in Szczecin, Faculty of Painting and New Media, Audiovisual and Performative Actions Studio
works made under the supervision of Dariusz Fodczuk

“By referring to the classical architecture of the  Wallenberg-Pachaly palace, in my work I comment  on the heritage of the antiquity, especially  the Latin sentences that still shape our culture  and morality. They have survived in everyday  speech to this day, and due to their timelessness  and popularity we no longer question  them. As a result, they have the power to influence  our collective subconscious. I have  chosen sentences connected with acquiring  wealth and praising hard work: Ad augusta  per angusta (‘Through difficulties to honours’),  Beatus, qui tenet (‘Happy is the man in possession’)  and Faber est quisque suae fortunae  (‘Everyone is the architect of their own fortune’).  By inscribing them on plaques in the  servants’ quarters – i.e. in the ‘worse’ part of  the palace – I intended to unveil their classridden  character. The lower social classes have  no access to riches and wealth, irrespective  of their efforts and the hardships of their arduous  daily work. In this way I undermine the  neoliberal discourse according to which ‘everyone  is the architect of their own fortune.’”
M.S.

photo: Wojciech Chrubasik