ABOUT THE WORK
B E S T  O F  S H O W
PURCHASE AWARD

This image is from a series entitled “The Office,” taken at Leybold, a company in Export, PA. In his artist’s
statement, Mr. Mrotek says: “The office represents another world to me, one created by man, yet separated from
reality.  It is like a subculture, an arena where suddenly the regular person is bestowed power over others, a place
with a new set of rules, a place where everyone looks the same.  The office transforms the human into a machine,
a mere cog in the bigger machine of the company.  People get crammed into cubicles, stuffed into rooms with no
windows, and are expected to function like normal people.  All of these images contain no people, because my
intent is to show these environments unpopulated, as some alien place, deserted and uninhabitable.  The
company has recently downsized, so there are a lot of unused rooms and stray office furnishings in strange
places.  Many of these empty rooms feel like places that were abandoned, representing the end of business or a
failing economy, exemplified by desks with no pictures, and computers piled in corners.  I enjoy the fact that these
places are designed by people and built for people but have such an uncomfortable, unnatural feel to them.”

Several works from this series will be on view the month of July at Gannon University's Schuster Gallery.
An opening lunch reception for the artist will take place Friday, July 16, from noon-2pm.
The Schuster Gallery's hours are Monday - Friday 8:30am -4:30pm.