Linda Kosciewicz
Minotaur, 2022
polymer photogravure
72 x 52 cm
28 3/8 x 20 1/2 in
28 3/8 x 20 1/2 in
edition of 14
Courtesy of Glasgow Print Studio - Please note, this work is owned and printed by the artist. Such works may occasionally be unavailable at the time of purchase or enquiry.
This print was created in conjunction with the Glasgow Print Studio 50th Anniversary Here & Now Legacy Project. 'Late in 2021, as a response to the last two years of...
This print was created in conjunction with the Glasgow Print Studio 50th Anniversary Here & Now Legacy Project. "Late in 2021, as a response to the last two years of the covid pandemic, I began to look at the Greek myth of the labyrinth, the Minotaur and Ariadne in relation to ideas of journeys of self discovery and enforced confinement - of violence, abuse, power and toxic masculinity.
These stories appeared to be relevant to the covid experience, where human suffering was often experienced alone due to the seemingly never-ending lockdown with its devastating effects on mental as well as physical health.
My image of the Minotaur, with its symbolic violence and bloodlust, became a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This war has personal resonance, as my father, a refugee, who fled from the devastation of the Second World war, originated from the area of Poland which is now Belarus. I wanted to confront and explore the violence and chaos of the invasion of Ukraine through the myth. The story reminds me that violence is complex and often a symptom of the abuse of power. The Minotaurs entrapment within a never ending labyrinth seems to symbolise the violence in the human condition from which it is difficult to escape. Though depicted as a fearful monster, the Minotaur is imprisoned at the centre of the labyrinth by King Minos who uses his bestial nature to subjugate his enemies. Ultimately, the Minotaur is betrayed by his family, who play a part in his murder, and the horror of his bludgeoning to death is glorified by his enemy."
Linda Kosciewicz was born in 1960 and grew up in Sauchie, Scotland. She studied painting and printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee followed by Conservation of Paintings at the University of Northumbria.
Around 20 years ago she was preoccupied with performance based photography where using herself as a model, she created images depicting the human experience of life, death and sexuality using simply movements, gestures and facial expressions. She used archetypes in classical western art as her inspiration for the poses.
At present, she is exploring the covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine using the stories in Greek myths as a starting points for the visual ideas. She is particularly interested in how pre-existing stories and myths can be repurposed to help explore current events.
She has exhibited throughout the UK and Europe and her work is in public collections in Edinburgh. She is a member of Glasgow and Edinburgh print workshops, and started working at Glasgow Print Studio in 2018 due to her family connections there.
These stories appeared to be relevant to the covid experience, where human suffering was often experienced alone due to the seemingly never-ending lockdown with its devastating effects on mental as well as physical health.
My image of the Minotaur, with its symbolic violence and bloodlust, became a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This war has personal resonance, as my father, a refugee, who fled from the devastation of the Second World war, originated from the area of Poland which is now Belarus. I wanted to confront and explore the violence and chaos of the invasion of Ukraine through the myth. The story reminds me that violence is complex and often a symptom of the abuse of power. The Minotaurs entrapment within a never ending labyrinth seems to symbolise the violence in the human condition from which it is difficult to escape. Though depicted as a fearful monster, the Minotaur is imprisoned at the centre of the labyrinth by King Minos who uses his bestial nature to subjugate his enemies. Ultimately, the Minotaur is betrayed by his family, who play a part in his murder, and the horror of his bludgeoning to death is glorified by his enemy."
Linda Kosciewicz was born in 1960 and grew up in Sauchie, Scotland. She studied painting and printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee followed by Conservation of Paintings at the University of Northumbria.
Around 20 years ago she was preoccupied with performance based photography where using herself as a model, she created images depicting the human experience of life, death and sexuality using simply movements, gestures and facial expressions. She used archetypes in classical western art as her inspiration for the poses.
At present, she is exploring the covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine using the stories in Greek myths as a starting points for the visual ideas. She is particularly interested in how pre-existing stories and myths can be repurposed to help explore current events.
She has exhibited throughout the UK and Europe and her work is in public collections in Edinburgh. She is a member of Glasgow and Edinburgh print workshops, and started working at Glasgow Print Studio in 2018 due to her family connections there.
