Jura Shust: Żywica* Solar Plexus Exhibition at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art

This solo exhibition by Belarusian artist Jura Shust explores the complex intersections of spirituality, technology, and nature. Through a multichannel installation featuring video, sound, and sculptural works, the artist examines how modern technological systems replace ancient rituals and mythologies in our understanding of reality.

Jura Shust's exhibition 'Żywica* Solar Plexus' serves as a critical investigation into the human relationship with the natural world in an era dominated by technology. The title 'Żywica' (resin) evokes the Slavic root for 'life' and healing, contrasting this organic symbol of regeneration with contemporary landscapes shaped by industrial exploitation and digital infrastructure. Across five rooms at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art, the exhibition guides visitors through varied environments, from symbolic Easter European woodlands to sites of modern surveillance, prompting reflections on how myth, ritual, and spiritual practice are being displaced by artificial intelligence and high-tech networks. As the artist's first solo exhibition in Poland, the presentation synthesizes political art with speculative visions of the future. By juxtaposing organic elements—such as trees associated with the connection between the material and the sacred—with industrial materials and performative digital media, Shust highlights how geopolitical tensions and surveillance tools now define spaces previously considered sacred. The installation offers a sensory experience that challenges viewers to consider how technological advancement alters our perception of the environment and our methods of communication within it.

The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Entry is free every Thursday, and the ticket office remains open until 7.30 p.m. daily.