Exhibition Katarzyna Swinarska ~ Absent Lovers

Experimenting with various aesthetics, Swinarska seeks to capture the essence of a "feminine" language of expression in painting. Eroticism and the image of the female body play a central role in her work. Her canvases are vast, quivering with energy, drenched in intense colors, dominated by an overwhelming pink. Others are dark and oppressive, evoking the image of flowers — beautiful, yet toxic or devouring their prey. Figurative and abstract. Brimming with expression. As unpredictable and multifaceted as Swinarska’s vision of femininity itself, with all its contradictions.

The artist boldly embraces and affirms traits stereotypically considered "feminine", juxtaposing them with those still deemed culturally unacceptable. Swinarska’s heroines embody a myriad of figures: the femme fatale, the self-sacrificing mother devoted to her family, the madly-in-love young girl, the uncompromising creator who places art above all else. The artist unveils their emotionality, vulnerability, sensitivity, and sensuality. Yet, beneath the surface lies strength, passion, determination, ruthlessness, even cruelty. The women in Swinarska’s work are both fragile and dangerous.

One of the absent lovers’ narratives examines the unique experiences of female artists and the profound connections between the act of love and the act of creation. In a film accompanying the exhibition, Swinarska speaks with four mature artists, inviting them to reflect on their pasts. She poses a provocative question: Which is more important — love or art?

The work of Katarzyna Swinarska is rooted in feminist artistic practice — both in its subject matter and aesthetics. The artist explores the female experience by delving into family narratives, studying the lives of women who left their mark on history, and drawing from her own experiences as well as those of the people around her. She weaves the individual story of a woman into the universal, culturally and historically shaped destinies of generations: of our great-grandmothers, mothers, and sisters.

The exhibition Absent Lovers tells the story of how a woman’s solitude is inextricably entwined with every romantic relationship. It is not only the aftermath of a breakup. It speaks of grandfathers, fathers, and husbands working at sea or abroad. Of men fighting and dying in wars. Of those who, though physically present, become emotionally distant. Men who evade responsibility and commitment, retreating into the domains of the male world, overwhelmed by the strength and growing independence of women.


kuratorka: Agata Abramowicz
czas trwania wystawy: 15.02.2025 ~ 11.05.2025
wernisaż wystawy: sobota 15 lutego

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