Krystyna Burczyk

Statement

Paper is my medium. By folding and twisting I transform rectangular sheets of paper into small pieces with spirals that play an important role in my works. They join my folded pieces into a strong final form with two levels. Spirals form an inner level and work against gravity. The remaining parts form a surface level that decides the shape and texture of an artwork. I have never used glue to join my pieces. I prefer “alive spirals” that work, fight and cooperate. I rely on regular polyhedra structures, essential for the visual effect and the physical stability of my works. In 2015-18 I realized an art project MAP (Math Art Paper) – the series of 16 exhibitions of my artworks at the Mathematics Department at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow.

Artworks

It is interesting that structures that work well in the human world (copulas, soccer balls) also work well in the world of pollens, in the world of viruses (protein structures), as well as in the world of atoms (fullerenes). These structures are more or less round, strong and resistant to the inaccuracies of the components. When we look at the images of viruses in the electron microscope, particularly the colored ones, we see some parts of the virus surface that look like flowers. In my work, the forces of friction and elasticity determine the shape, but the final result is similar to the shapes of nature.