Heart. Sun

‘The ray of light that we are must finally rejoin the nature and meaning of the sun: it must give itself away, lose itself without calculation.’ 
Georges Bataille, The Accursed Share

Bataille draws our attention to the fact that we are light. This idea is further developed by Viktor Frankl, who points to its transformative power: ‘What is to give light must endure burning’. We take this as an invitation to enter another dimension of life – an encounter with the heart. We see the heart as our inner sun: as a source of strength, love and light, but also as a force that orders and burns. Growth requires acceptance of the burning – in other words, coming to terms with death, both literal (grief) and symbolic (the end of love, relationships, the loss of wealth or dreams). This acceptance leads to letting go, which leads to liberation. What interests us is the power of the light that burns and scorches – and our willingness and decision to accept the cost, to say goodbye to what is no longer present in our lives. This willingness opens the way to transformation, cleansing, healing and liberation. 

Growth requires the acceptance of burning, which means reconciling oneself with literal death such as grief, but also symbolic death the end of love, relationship, loss of possessions, dreams. This acceptance leads to letting go, and as a result, liberation. We are interested in the power of light that burns/cauterizes, but also our readiness and decision to bear the costs and say goodbye to what is no longer in our lives. This readiness opens the way to transformation, purification, healing, and release.

The exhibition divided the space of Zachęta Project Room into two parts: the upper room represented the external, sensual, and material world. Paintings, an object, and a mural were presented here. The lower level of the gallery symbolised the internal, extrasensory world, the ‘space of the heart.’ There was a mural, objects, and a video presented.

During the work on the exhibition, flow, reciprocity, and exchange were important to us. Each of us spoke in our own way about the transforming power of sunlight and the light of the heart, which is our sun. At the exhibition, we present painting, objects, murals, and video. The works were created in dialogue. They intertwine with threads, associations, symbols, and colours.

Heart. Sun
Małgorzata Szandała, Marta Szulc, Monika Waraxa
12.04-22.06.2025
Curator: Magda Kardasz
Co-operation: Pola Gadowska
Zachęta Project Room
Gałczyńskiego 3, Warsaw

Cecylia (Cecylia Payne-Gaposchkin), 2025