Hoarder-Gatherer Vol. II

Tomasz Skibicki received a grant to develop Hoarder-Gatherer Vol. II, a project rooted in his interest in how humans perceive puppets and what these interactions reveal about cognitive processes. The project aims to explore the resurgence of puppetry as a potential cultural symbol in an increasingly tech-driven world. With the rise of generative artificial intelligence simulating human behavior, the relationship between humans and technology mirrors the dynamic of puppet and puppeteer, raising critical questions about agency, control, authenticity, and autonomy. In an age of chatbots and text-to-image generators, there is a noticeable shift as overstimulated audiences and creators seek simpler, analog experiences.

Raised as a child of Polish immigrants in a working-class home in Germany during the digital era’s beginnings, Tomasz offers a unique perspective, choosing to convey it through broader concepts and literary themes rather than a confessional tone. In recent years, he has developed a workflow that is both research-based and rooted in materiality. This approach results in installations, sculptures, images, and videos he describes as “firsthand encounters with second-hand stories.” His work refines traditional crafts such as wood carving and carpentry, often integrating filmic and sonic elements to transform or manipulate the viewer’s experience. Through this interplay of contrasts, Tomasz’s artistic signature takes shape.