Neonica: What was the beginning of your adventure with art? What made you dedicate yourself to this field? 

Karolina Halatek: My journey with art began at a very early age. When I was 5 years old my mum signed me up for art classes despite kindergarten and from then on I continued my art lessons up to art college. Meanwhile, my father was a member of the Association of Polish Photographers, and since I remember I was attending fine art photography openings and analog slide shows. During holidays, my parents took me to various art museums and historical churches, which I greatly enjoyed. Also, my grandfather was an amateur photographer and was recording films on the Super-8 camera. I felt very natural within a creative environment, and I had a conviction that my life path will be related to artistic discipline. 

N: How does Łódź affect you as an artist? Do you have your favorite places in Łódź that were a source of inspiration for you? 

KH: Łódź is my hometown and my relation to it is ambiguous. I like the aura of authenticity around Łódź. It has a particular avant-garde atmosphere with lots of underground initiatives with a well integrated art scene. I like the fact that it’s not an obvious tourist destination, the charm of Łódź lies in the organic mixture of the historical heritage of textile manufactures, film production studios, and a vast area of the XIX century architecture. Some streets look like a ready set design for a historical movie. The mood of the city inspires me more than a particular location. 

N: You graduated from prestigious art academies - to what extent and whether the topics of using artificial light in the art are discussed at all?  

KH: I deliberately chose the art schools that offered light classes. At the Wimbledon College of Art in London, I was learning about stage lighting from a tutor who was working with Pink Floyd. Later at the University of the Arts in Berlin, I attended workshops run by Olafur Eliasson and at the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, I studied media art, where I could freely develop my ideas that involved lighting. In fact light is just a medium, a tool that can be used in art practice, however, the focus of art itself concentrates more on a concept, and the tools are there to support the expression of the idea. 

N: How would you describe your creative process? Regular, everyday work or throwing yourself into a creative whirlwind under the influence of sudden inspiration and inspiration? 

KH: My creative process is definitely a long process that has an autonomous speed. I can not force it, but just let the idea get matured. Some ideas take time until they finally feel right, and some can instantly feel good to me. However, when the idea is being formed in my mind then it still goes under technical assessment which can change the original concept. Finding the technical solutions sometimes resemble prototyping a piece of new equipment or a machine, it has to combine both aesthetics and functionality. 

N: What values and thoughts do you want to convey through your works? 

KH: I’m most interested in creating art that is a catalyst of experiences on the edge of transcendence, during which the viewer has the conditions to get to know himself at a deeper level. That is why I create places specially dedicated to contemplation and luminous sensory deprivation, which aims to redirect the attention inward. I want the viewer to lose orientation in space, to give a chance for the new discoveries that provoke full engagement, a sense of presence, and peace. 

N: Which artist inspires you the most? 

KH: Many artists inspire me. I constantly discover fabulous pieces of art from various historical periods, however, the biggest impact on me had Olafur Eliasson, and James Turrell. 

N: Where did the idea for using modern light sources in your works come from? 

KH: Since I remember, I’ve always been sensitive to the light and to the atmosphere that the light creates, as if the light itself became a creator of the space. When I was learning about the history of art, I got absolutely triggered by artists who focused their practice just on the light. Such an idea seemed pure, and the subject of light held an essence of art. I started to experiment with different light sources that I could get hold of, and gradually I learned their limitations and potentials. 

N: Are your works with the use of LED light are the only form of communication? Maybe you use other forms in your installations? 

KH: I use LED lights, fluorescent bulbs, and reflective materials such as brass or glass. At first is the concept, and the materials follow. For that reason, I feel more like a conceptual artist than a minimal artist. I think what is most important and most difficult is finding the right way to translate the invisible and the unspoken to the visual plane. 

N: What brings the most fun to your work and what is the source of difficulties for you as an artist? 

KH: The most fun to me is watching the reactions of the viewers during the exhibition. Seeing a joyful audience is very rewarding. Also, the moment of externalization of the idea and its materialization is undoubtedly special. However, the instability and risk related to new productions sometimes can generate stress and require a lot of self-discipline and determination, which come with effort. 

N: How did you come across the Neonica company - was it a conscious choice or maybe a contact based on a recommendation, etc.? 

KH: During my project called “Terminal”, which I was working on for Ascents Light Art Festival in the region of Stuttgart, my German curator suggested reaching out to Neonica. We checked the parameters of the LED stripes, and they matched with the technical requirements of the project, therefore we decided to go forward with the purchase. 

N: What are your experiences regarding cooperation with Neonica Polska? Did you receive proper support in the form of counseling? 

KH: I worked with LEDs produced by Neonica for a couple of my projects. Each time I had different specific technical needs which were positively addressed by Neonica. Members of Neonica staff paid attention to the details, and my customized orders often had to undergo sudden changes. The success of my projects depends on the success of every little stage of the production - creating a proper order, timing, quality of the product, and good communication with suppliers. Each case of collaboration with Neonica was good and that’s why I know that I can rely on the company in the future. 

N: How the idea for such an installation as "Beacon" has been born? Does it appear as an image in the head or is it a path of design, deduction, calculation? 

KH: The idea of “Beacon” came out from a religious experience during prayer, when I felt how the Spirit is energizing me from the inside out. I was aware that it came from above, as it almost created a channel between me and the heavens. I wanted to share my experience and let others feel the way I felt. 

N: Did you plan to create the largest LED structure in the world? 

KH: Absolutely not. I planned to create a work for the people to enjoy, not to break a World Guinness Record. Hitting the world record came as a surprise to me. 

N: Did you encounter any technical difficulties related to LED strips while creating the "Beacon" installation or other forms of communication? If so, what are they? 

KH: I encountered many difficulties in the production of “Beacon” such as difficulty with logistics, timing, construction of the base, and the install. However, installing the Neonica LEDs went smoothly, 252 stripes were attached to the steel structure within 2 days by the team of 6 people. The difficulty was related to the power supply that had to hold an immense amount of electricity and the ventilation system had to function properly. Due to limited time for the production, the power test was only possible on-site, but luckily with the supervision of the local electricians everything worked out well. 

N: We know that the reception of the work "Beacon" was very positive. Can you share with us your impressions of visiting the exhibition in Riyadh? 

KH: I could never imagine such a positive response from the public. People waited in line for half an hour just to be inside the installation for 15 seconds, and they were pleased about the whole experience. Locals were thanking me for creating “Beacon”, as they seemed deeply moved by the impact of the installation. One viewer told me that it’s very special to have such work in Riyadh , because before he had to travel outside Saudi Arabia to see contemporary art. He was delighted that Noor Riyadh festival enabled him to experience contemporary art such as “Beacon” in his own country. 

N: What are your plans for the future? Any new ideas, concepts? 

KH: At the moment I work on a few concepts which may be finalized this autumn and the next year. This July, my installation “Spot” will be featured together with artworks by Wendy Red Star and Gregory Crewdson at Tinworks Art exhibition in Bozeman, Montana, United States. The exhibition will last until the 13th of August 2021. 

N: Do you plan to continue using LED lighting? 

KH: I will surely use LED lights in my future projects. I’m very keen to see new technological advancements in the LED industry, and I look forward to using new technologies in my future projects. 

N: What do you consider your greatest success? 

KH: I guess my success is that I keep going with new projects, and I’m having the courage to face the unknown uncertainty related to freelance. 

N: What are your interests outside the field of broadly understood art? 

KH: I’m mostly passionated by learning about religion, international relations, and the cultural heritage of foreign countries. I enjoy hearing stories of the people who went through extreme situations, personal transformations, and profound insights. For a few years, I was fascinated by the testimonies of people who had Near-Death Experience, which resulted in creating an artwork called “Terminal”. 

N: What new challenges does art face in the contemporary world? What is the role of the artist in the contemporary world? 

KH: It’s a broad question, but I think that new technologies impact the way we live and perceive art in a very strong and dynamic way. The big challenge is to offer the audience a unique experience that is not available through social media. I think people need to understand that the screen of the laptop or smartphone cannot replace the richness of the multi-sensual reality. Artists should find a way to communicate the new perceptions of today's rapidly changing world through tools that are accessible and sustainable. Meanwhile, it is crucial for the artists to be authentic and truthful to their personal individual calling. 

N: What would be your advice to beginner creators of similar works, or what was your best advice received as an artist? 

Today I would advise young creators to be attentive to their own sensitivity, to what moves them most, regardless of what is trending. 

Karolina Halatek is a Polish artist who uses light as the central medium in her work to create experiential site-specific spaces that incorporate visual, architectural, and sculptural elements. Seeing her work primarily as a catalyst for experience, Halatek’s installations have remarkable immersive characteristics which are often the result of collaborations with quantum physicists, founders of the superstring theory (Leonard Susskind, Roger Penrose, Carlo Rovelli) and precision mechanical engineers. Halatek has exhibited extensively around the world. Notable exhibitions and installations include Cloud Square, Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis (2018); Terminal, Aufstiege Light Art Festival, Stuttgart (2016); Scanner Room, Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw (2014). In 2015 her Scanner Room Video was broadcasted into outer space at the MONA FOMA Festival held by the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania. Halatek studied Design for Performance at the University of the Arts London, Great Britain, Fine Arts at the Universität der Künste Berlin, Germany and Media Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland. During her studies in Berlin, she participated in workshops at the Institut für Raumexperimente run by Olafur Eliasson.

Website: www.karolinahalatek.com