Graduate of the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and post-graduate studies for art custodians at the Jagiellonian University. Painter, performer, cultural manager and contemporary art custodian. She finds inspiration for new works in her nearest surroundings. Her creations are anarchist and anti-capitalistic. The creator of the Farm of Arts, an artistic institution functioning as a common platform of activity for artists and custodians. For her project 365 Trees she was awarded the title “Kulturystka roku 2010” (Woman of Culture of the Year 2010), the award granted by the Instructors of the Radio Community Centre of Program 3 Polskiego Radia (Polish radio station). She was also rewarded by the readers of Gazeta Wyborcza in the Kulturalne Odloty (Cultural Buzz) competition.
photo: Grażyna Makara
In the period 1996–1998 she studied conservation at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. She finished sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and liberal arts and ceramics at the Kunstakademie in Stuttgart. In her installations and performances, the artist brings about the themes of toxic family relations. In a satirical way, she illustrates the phobias connected with maternity, sexuality, dependencies and entanglements in families. She produces perverse aesthetic representations of what causes repulsion or embarrassment. She uses soft materials and vivid colours, ironically exaggerating and deforming the subjects of her obsessions. She held Erasmus scholarship (2004) and a scholarship at La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2008). She took part in Mobile Academy in Warsaw (2006) and was twice rewarded by the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart (2002 and 2008).
Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. Artist active in various spheres: designer, performer, installation author, and cultural manager. In her works she combines tradition with modernity and is interested in relations between private and public space. Participant of national and international exhibitions (e.g. Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, CSW Łaźnia in Gdańsk, National Museum in Cracow, Ethnographic Museum in Cracow, MuseumsQuartier in Vienna). She cooperates with the National Museum in Cracow as the organiser of a cycle of workshops for adults devoted to contemporary art. She is the holder of the scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. She lives and works in Cracow.
photo: Grażyna Makara
One of the hottest music bands on the current Polish musical scene and the only one that has truly successfully combined Polish highland folk with contemporary sounds.
Sometimes labelled as folk rock, Zakopower escapes all manner of classification – their music, originally inspired by the Podhale Polish highlands musical tradition equally features rock aesthetics, clever use of electronics, drawing on jazz influences as well as incorporating African beats – the overall mix resulting in a truly unique, authentic and strong sound – fun, lively, infectious and instantly recognizable.
Named after the highland town Zakopane situated in the Tatra mountains and founded by a phenomenal violinist Sebastian Karpiel Bułecka, the band is seen as one of Poland’s most popular bands ever. Their debut album “Music Hal” (2005) quickly reached gold status. They have been awarded numerous folk as well as various mainstream music awards in their native Poland and have been nominated for the Best Polish Performer on MTV’s Europe Music Awards (2006).
Their interesting instrumentation includes violin, highland bass, bagpipes and highland flute. Unlike many ethno/folk inspired groups of today rather than unashamedly borrow from existing melodies, the band develop and present entirely new original compositions – an ingenious mix of traditional and modern– drawing on folk aesthetics and technique but yet allowing it to develop and expand and bringing it in tune with the 21st century – theirs is a truly creative and progressive approach to making music. This is music with rare truthfulness to it and masses of positive energy and it cuts through any language or cultural barriers, easily reaching and intriguing audiences from all backgrounds. Predominantly a live performing band they tour extensively both in Poland and abroad, giving on average about 100 performances a year their touring schedule has so far taken them throughout Europe (including major festivals such as Rudolstadt, Sziget, Ostrava, Zagreb) as well as the US (NY, Chicago), the Far East (India, China) and even Africa (Morocco). Their latest album “Boso (Barefoot)”, which features more instrumental focus was released in May 2011. The audience welcomed it very warmly, as did the critics and journalists who gave the album great reviews. The album became a bestseller in Poland.
