not a Number group: Alicja Panasiewicz/Adam Panasiewicz
is an artistic group formed in 2015. It is primarily based on the collaboration in
artistic activity of Alicja and Adam Panasiewicz. The artistic duet is mainly
concentrated on artistic works using the language of the new media that make for
great liberty in creation, and vagueness of interpretation, of the projects on
intermedia.
“not a Number” is a numeric data type in computer science denoting an undefined or
unrepresentative size; it appears on programmable devices in case of lack of digital
data. Non-number – empty or space for analog operation? At the junction of science
and art there is an area which is an inspiration for the work of the not a Number
group.
They are inspired mainly by the world of science, both modern, technologically
advanced and outdated theories that have fascinated mankind for decades or
hundreds of years.
They are interested in digitally controlled image as a medium of communication and
light as a medium between analog and digital media. Digitality and “augmented
perception”. Posthumanous attempts to exceed the senses and the space of
experience in art. Perceptive errors as an inspiration for visual arts. Sensitivity in
digital art, virtual reality and changes in perception in digital era.
They artistic practice focuses on the multi-sensory perception of the world; the
creation of multi-sensory, synaesthetic and syncretic spaces based on the concept of
the 32 senses and the development of visual activities. They often use the phenomena
of light and space as aesthetic values that create impressions. Reality is only an
illusion; it separates us from the real world like a curtain. A specific capacity of the
human mind processes the recorded image of reality and ‘produces’ ephemeral,
flickering, ever-changing images, impressions, moments.

While creating artistic works, we have put focus on the phenomenon of light in space
and the aesthetic value of both that creates the viewer’s impression about them.
Reality is just an optical illusion – it separates us from the actual world just like a
curtain does. The peculiar structure (camera obscura) and way of perceiving colour of
the human eye makes for the uniqueness of the human brain’s ability to process the
captured image of the black-and-white reality and the reflected light waves into
ephemeral, twinkling, constantly changing images, impressions, instants. It is
fascinating how light can convey metaphysical meanings and refer to extrasensory
matters.
Works such as 1:200000 and also older ones related to the phenomena of light
perception use the language of multimedia as a structure of visual message that is not
always clear, yet very carefully adjusted.

One of the inspirations for the project [alter] was the scientific fact that everything
that exists resonates. Human perceives vibrations of miscellaneous frequencies with
all senses as sound, electricity, heat, light/colour, X-rays, even cosmic waves, and
possibly mental and ethereal waves. The naN group has translated resonance to the
language of art.
The other project #FF00FF is based on Goethe’s experiments involving the water
prism and black-and-white optical forms described in the five-volume work
Farbenlehre. It has inspired naN group to create the project using optical effects
created by processing image with water, air, crystal and glass.
The latest Selfish Cartography project focuses on the geometric principles of
constructing maps and projecting geoid on a plane.
Many projects have been realized with the help of a programmer, who contributes to
the character of the message of the works using interactive forms created just to suit
those works.

Alicja Panasiewicz
Visual artist, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, Poland. Since 1996 she
has been working at the Faculty of Art at the University of the National Education
Commission, Krakow, teaching biodesign, environmental art and visual structures.
She leads workshops for students about visual perception and environmental art. She
creates light objects and installations and has put focus on the phenomenon of light
in space and the aesthetic value of both that creates the viewer’s impression about
them.
Organiser of the artists and designers fair „Nówka Sztuka” [brand new art], Juror of
the Creative Scholarship of the City of Krakow, Poland
www.alicjapanasiewicz.net
https://www.instagram.com/alicjapanasiewicz_art/
https://www.facebook.com/alicja.panasiewicz
Adam Panasiewicz
Visual artist, graduated Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. Since 1994 he has been
working at the Faculty of Art at the University of the National Education
Commission, Krakow, as a professor. He works in the medium of digital graphics,
drawing, and digital video. In his practice, he investigates the limits of perception of
the moving image, focusing on the properties of reception in the context of the
physiology of vision. He makes interactive installations that employ programming
languages to expand the definition of work emerging in the process of participation of
the user.
https://issuu.com/adpan/docs/input_output1

Selected exhibitions:

Chromophilia part 2 – 6 faces, Centro Cultural Municipal Adriano Moreriro Braganca
Portugal, 08-10.2024; Ethnocentrism/Spaces of Alienation, Gallery of Icelandic Print
Association, Reykjavik, Iceland, 07.2024; Ethnocentrism – traces – L’Assaut de la
meniseuerie, Saint Etienne, France, 05-06.2024; Chromophilia – 6 faces,
Ethnographical Museum Kraków, Poland, 04.2024; Ś//Ć światłociemń, Mazovian
Center of Contemporary Art „Elektrownia” Radom, Poland, 12.2023-01.2024; SACO
Biennal Antofagasta, Chile, installation Hello darkness my old friend, 06-08-9.2023;
Festival Svetlobna Gverilla, Ljubljana, Slowenia, 05-06.2023; Romantism Museum
Opinogóra, 05.2023; Light as a Creative Tool, Wrocław 03-04.2023; Drawing
Triennal Wrocław, Academy of Fine Arts 04-05.2022; Starachowice, 11.2023;
Słowoobrazy, Podkowa Lesna, 12.2022; What the Sun has not Seen, Untitled Gallery
Tbilisi, Georgia, 07.2022; ‘f’ jak fizjonomika ‘f’ jak fenomen, Synagoga Wysoka,
Krakers – Cracow Gallery Week, 06.2022; Digital Detox, Galeria M, Opole, 12.2021-
01.2022; Elementaria, EL Gallery Elbląg, 10-11.2021; Clara Lux-Clarum Lumen,
Academia di Belle Arti di Bari, Italy, 07.2021; Selfish Cartography, Kamienica Ta3,
Warszawa, 10-11.2019, Art Festiwal Konfronty 2019; ; Razzle Dazzle Trash, Gallery
113, Faculty of Art Jan Długosz University Częstochowa, 10. 2019; The Stealer of
Light – International Media Art Festival SeeDjerba, Mixed Media, Tunezja, 08.2019;
Gloom, installation durin exhibition Light of Anamnesis, Podbrzezie Gallery, 07.2021
– 30. Jewish Cultury Festival; Subversive Twilight, Twilight zone – between analog
and digital media, Spazju Kreattiv, La Valetta, Malta, 28.05-20.06.2021; 7.30-8.30
W/E, Świat-ły exhibition, installations in the House of Stanisław Wyspiański –
Sapphire Workshop in Krakow Krakers – Cracow Gallery Week, 10.2020;
PANOPTICUM’ 21 exhibition The Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals
of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS)Krakers – Cracow Gallery Week, 10.2020;
Ekran No 2. Artysta/Artystka na codzień, Cracow Art Week Krakers 2020, ARTzona
Culture Center. C. K. Norwid, 10.2020; Razzle Dazzle Trash, Polish Graphic
Triennial, Silesian Museum Katowice – 12. 2021; all_part 1,2 – 3rd International Art
Triennial Digital Agora in 2021, 10-12.2021; viewpoint – Polish Art Biennale, 46
Salon Zimowy Radom, Elektrownia, 06.2021; ekran1 – Artzona, 06.2021, Krakers 21;
Viewpoint, exhibition Knjiga-umetnički objekat 4 Da li se poznajemo? / (Book Art
object 4 / Do we know each other?) w Muzej primenjene umetnosti / Museum of
Applied Art w Belgradzie, Serbia, 10.2020; funkcja – 6 Digital Art. Biennial Gdynia,
10.2019; limes 0 Telos, Krakers, Kraków 04.2019; 2,4,5,8-obraz-rezonans [2,4,5,8 –
image, resonance], Art Center Stara Kotłownia, Olsztyn 02-03.2019; [alter] Galeria
OFF Frame, Krakow, 2018; Współrzędne Barwy [Colour Coordinates], Warszawa,
Schody Gallery, 10.2016; #FF00FF, Kalisz, Uniwersytecka Gallery, 02-03.2016; Sześć
Przyczyn Cienia [6 reasons of the shade], Kraków, Cellar Gallery, 10.2016; Zarówno,
Kielce, XS Gallery, Interferencje in the conference Discursive Geometry 09. 2015;
Morfeus, multimedia installation, Kalisz, Uniwersytecka Gallery, 10.2015;
Lightpresence, multimedia installation, 1st International Digital Art Triennial,
Hungary, Szegszard, House of Art, 09-11.2015 – Grand Prix; 1:200000, XS Gallery,
Kielce 04.2015; Obecność Obowiązkowa, Galeria MINI, Kraków, 05.2014;
Overillumination, Alicja Panasiewicz, Rita Kriege, The Nuremberg House, Kraków

11.2014-01.2015; Subwersje Światła [Subversive Light], Gallery Rękawka Kraków
12.2012; Input/Output, Lamelli Gallery, Kraków 2012; Lux Lumen, Gallery
Artefactory, Kraków 09.2011; Luce da luce, Lokator Club, Kraków 06.2010; LPP –
light lines, Pauza Club, Kraków 06.2009; Light Sketches, BB Gallery, Kraków
12.2008-01.2009; Sketches from Nature, Galeria BB Wrocław 02-05.2007; Lapille,
Kontrast Gallery, Kraków 07-08.2005; Lumiforms, BB Gallery Kraków, 11-12.2002

Prizes:
Drawing Triennal Wrocław, Academy of Fine Arts 2019
Grand Prize of Triennial 1st International Digital Art Triennial 2015, Digital Agora
2015, Szekszárd, Hungary.