Tomasz Madajczak

Areas of Presence

"Areas of Presence" (2017) was an art residency and exhibition hosted at The Guesthouse in Cork City, Ireland. The works created during this residency explored the complex relationship between one’s inner identity and one’s presence in physical space, questioning how individuals navigate, claim, or relinquish presence in response to external and internal forces.

Through the lens of trauma, the exhibition delved into how lived experiences shape one's ability to exist fully within a given environment. Trauma often disrupts an individual's sense of presence, causing disassociation or hyper-awareness in relation to space. One individual’s past experiences inscribe themselves onto their body and mind, creating invisible boundaries within both physical and psychological landscapes, shaping how they move through and inhabit space.

The exhibition also considered feedback loops—repetitive cycles of perception and response—that influence the way individuals engage with their surroundings. In the context of trauma, these loops can manifest as patterns of avoidance, hyper-vigilance, or self-reinforcement of limiting beliefs. Conversely, the artistic process itself can act as an intervention, allowing for the disruption of these cycles and the creation of new modes of engagement with space and self.

By foregrounding the interplay between identity, memory, and spatial awareness, "Areas of Presence" invited viewers to reflect on their own experiences of presence and absence, and how these states are continuously negotiated within personal and collective environments.

© Tomasz Madajczak