Martyna Pekala (2000, PL) is a multimedia artist based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She obtained her Fine Art diploma from HKU University of the Arts Utrecht and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Sandberg Institute.
Although Martyna Pekala’s practice spawns an array of mediums and techniques, it finds its expression at the intersection of where virtual and physical realities meet. Echoing Donna Haraway’s cyborg theory, the boundary between nature and technology, human and non-human is not a rigid line. In Pekala’s research, she fictionalizes and materializes the intricate effects of social media and online presence on an individual’s unique perception of the world. This is achieved through a sci-fi and fantasy toy merchandise-inspired cosmology of environments and self-performed characters that pertain to the notion of auto-gaze performed on social media. Martyna uses the lens of a camera as her mirror and the open tabs on her browser as a map to the mind. The worlds of her works manifest in vivid colors, bold patterns, and surreal compositions. However, beneath the comical and, at times, overly cute absurdity, an undercurrent of escapist discomfort attempts to seep through, prompting the viewer to question whether the pursuit of ‘staying connected’ may paradoxically lead them to isolation.
Get in touch:
martyna.m.pekala@gmail.com