Sandwich

Knowledge brings both power and trouble: the more you know, the more accountability embedded into the actions informed by the knowing. Human innovation heavily relies on two contrasting forces, that of creation and that of destruction, constantly seeking balance. Knowledge, information, technology - all of them superpowers, all of them carrying potential for misuse, harm and burning. Prometheus, God of Fire, made an incredible gift to humanity, all while purposely ignoring his superiors’ wishes, knowing well that punishment for his transgression will not be light, or quick. In fact, he spent the rest of eternity in torment for it. Naturally, the general consensus is that such sacrifice is essential for growth, for progress, innovation, civilisation, that fire itself is not just a destructor, but a purifier, one that either preps the land for a new crop, or simply makes room for a new site. Lucian Bran has been experimenting with technical interventions and processes in the darkroom, altering and distorting his images on the photographic paper, effectively burning the chemicals-saturated surfaces with depictions of burned locations and items. At the core of his long-term series Promethean Fire lies the concept of duality, progress and enlightenment, hand in hand with misuse and harm. Accidents and destructive incidents, both on an individual scale, and a global one, in which society, as a living organism, continuously feeds the global thermal degradation, are his core elements, which he materializes through photography, objects and installations. At Sandwich, Promethean Fire promises to burn strong and high, forever looking for its balance. __ Lucian Bran (b. 1981) studied photography at The National University of Arts in Bucharest. His work was shown at Sandwich, Bucharest (2024), U10 Belgrade (2024), The Balcony, The Hague (2024), Art Quarter Budapest (2024), Artissima, Turin (2023), Museum of Recent Art, Bucharest (2023), The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest (2023, 2018), Fotogalerie Wien (2018), Salonul de Proiecte (2016) and Galeria Posibilă, Bucharest (2015, 2013), Museum of Municipal Engineering - Krakow Photomonth - Show OFF (2014). He was selected for Plat(t)form – Fotomuseum Winterthur (2019) and nominated for The Unseen ING Talent Award (2016). https://lucianbran.ro/ This event is part of the Project “Looking Glass”. A cultural Project co-funded by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The Project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The AFCN is not responsible for the Project content of the project or the manner in which the results of the Project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding recipient