Grupa Azorro
Supergrupa Azorro was founded in 2001 by Oskar Dawicki, Igor Krenz, Wojciech Niedzielko, and Łukasz Skąpski. Their work was manifested mainly in the form of videos commenting on various aspects of the contemporary art field. The critical edge of these projects positioned them close to artists working within the idiom of institutional critique. Azorro touched upon mythologies of modern art such as the figure of artist transgressing social rules, novelty in artistic production, the death of art, and art for all. The group’s ironic works embodied attempts to take these concepts literally. The idea of
contemporary art becoming an interest shared by everyone was realised in a video entitled “The Family” (“Rodzina,” 2004). It depicts parents and two children at their apartment watching and commenting on a TV program about new artistic tendencies while engaged in creative work and discussions on the meaning of art. At the same time, Azorro’s criticism also addressed the more day-to-day challenges of functioning within the art field in Poland. For example, their video entitled “Proposition” (Propozycja, 2002) shows artists receiving an invitation to present their work at a public exhibition venue without being paid a fee, and Azorro likewise documented the rise of the curator as a figure (“Portrait with a Curator,” 2002). 2005 then saw them take part in the production of a biopic on Pope John Paul II entitled “Karol: A Man Who Became Pope” (Karol - Człowiek, który został papieżem) as extras. They played Nazi officers, priests, and orthodox Jews. They presented the film as their own creation at a few special screenings despite its also being a commercial release. Azorro concluded their collaboration with “The Last Film” (Ostatni film, 2010), which staged the argument between the members that ended in the breakup of the group. This video toys with another grand myth of modern art—that of the artists’ group as a space of constant and explosive friction between individualistic and selfish artists. D.M.
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