A-21. The Machine for Vanishing” is an aeroplane made of bamboo and paintings. The machine explores the ambivalent human relationship with physical reality and nature. At the same time the object aims at capturing the primal elements and immersing ourselves in them.

The structure of A-21 is inspired by the construction of 14 BIS created by Alberto Santos Dumont in 1906. Dumont was an utopian idealist who believed that aviation would eventually connect the world and that the borders would disappear. The talented inventor comitted suicide when aviation began to be used for military purposes. A-21 is a new object with some parameters of 14 BIS changed. Instead of silk used in 14 BIS, Marta Kawecka used patchworks of her paintings to cover the wings. Paintings remain the emotional memory and had originally been composed from different textures, structures and layers.

The creating process of A-21 reminds the simulation of genetic proceses in AIPOTU software. The letter „A” in the object’s name stems from it. AIPOTU helps students of genetics to learn how to change the properties of a given structure by modifying certain individual data. Kawecka combines her artwork with Dumont’s construction and gives a new life, context and meaning to both of them. Both genetics and art could be seen as the epitome of human wilingness to simultaneously influence the world and study it in depth, regardless of the consequences.

Together with the aeroplane, the video animations will also be presented to highlight the importance of element of air, air flow and the presence of man-made and natural borders which could be seen from the air (in reference to the utopian idea of Dumont).

„A-21. The Machine for Vanishing” was created during the residency in the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko.