M O N I K A P O L A K
B I O
STATEMENT
I try to create visual neologisms, subversive and illusory transformations of reality, collisions of contexts, and analogies that provoke a different, more critical perspective on reality, while also revealing the nuances that shape the contemporary world and the history that is being rewritten. Sometimes, I escape into a sentimental, bygone world, provoking encounters with people and evoking emotions.
I experiment, research, and create.
EDUCATION
2017-2021 PhD (Doctorate) – Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław
2012-2017 Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław
master honours degree of painting in studio of prof. Stanislaw R. Kortyka and electronic media in studio prof. Wojciech Pukocz (study drawing in studio of prof. Wojciech Lupa)
2008-2012 The State Secondary School of Art in Kielce
SCHOLARSHIPS
2024 Scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage
2019 Jerzy Grotowski Scholarship for Arts of the Mayor of Wrocław for PhD candidates
2018 Rector’s scholarship for the best PhD candidates of the Academy of Fine Arts Wrocław
2015 Scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritagefor outstanding achievements
2014 and 2016 GRAND scholarship for outstanding talented youth from the Świętokrzyskie
2015 and 2016 Artistic scholarship of the Mayor of Wrocław
2014, 2015 and 2016 Rector’s scholarship for the best students of the Academy of Fine Arts Wrocław
AWARDS
• Artistic Award UAP, New Image/New Look (Nowy Obraz/Nowe Spojrzenie), Poznan
• Shortlisted, 3rd International Painting Competition of the Three Bridges Foundation, Warsaw
• Nomination for Artistic Award UAP, New Image/New Look (Nowy Obraz/Nowe Spojrzenie), Poznan
• 2nd prize, 9th Triennale of Polish Contemporary Drawing, Lubaczow
• Nomination for FID PRIZE 2016
• Honorable mention TOP 20, 4th International Watercolor Biennial Belgrade
• 1st prize, drawing category, ArtConfrontations2016, Test Gallery, Warsaw
• 2nd prize, 4th Painting Competition Attitudes, Wroclaw
• Distinction, Przedwiosnie 38, BWA Kielce
MAIN EXHIBITIONS
2025
• In the Borderlands between Worlds’ part IV. Empire of Chlorophyll, The Nature Education Centre of the Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
• Post-war Settlers. A Portrait Collage of Lower Silesia, ZCK Ziębice, Poland – solo exhibition
2024
• Post-war Settlers. A Portrait Collage of Lower Silesia, MOKSiR Chojnów, Poland – solo exhibition
• In the Borderlands between Worlds’ part III. The Island of the Day Before, The Nature Education Centre of the Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
2023
• Hyperspace, Gierowski Foundation, Warsaw, Poland
• Wrocław Off Gallery Weekend, Wrocław, Poland
• 5th Art&Science, Art of Apoptosis, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
• CALLART 2 – The Overview Effect, Wrocław Contemporary Museum, Poland
2022
• Artifictions, Krupa Gallery, Wrocław, Poland – solo exhibition
• Konekt Festival, Gorzanów Palace, Poland
• Wdech/Wydech, Sklep Galeria Karowa, Warsaw, Poland
2021
• A Rose is a Rose, Browar Mieszczański, Wrocław, Poland
• What after / What for, Wrocław Contemporary Museum, Poland
• Psychopomp, Ossolineum, Wrocław, Poland
2019
• Sztuka Teraz, The National Museum in Cracow, Poland
• Emerging Lines #1, Galerie du Crous, Paris, France
• Body Image, Galeria Duża Scena UAP, Poznan, Poland – solo exhibition
• Spaces 7, Mia art Gallery, Wroclaw, Poland
• The 5th Bangkok Triennale International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Thailand
• 251. RA Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, United Kingdom
• 4th NanoArt, Galeria Roi Doré, Paris, France
• Apoptosis, zakłócenia, CSW Solvay, Cracow, Poland
• 7 th International Pastel Biennial, BWA Sokół, Nowy Sącz, Poland
2018
• 3rd International Painting Competition of the Three Bridges Foundation, The Sluzew Culture House, Warsaw, Poland
• New Image/New Look (Nowy Obraz/Nowe Spojrzenie), Slodownia Gallery in Stary Browar, Poznan, Poland
• Profusion, municipal office of art exhibition (MBWA Leszno), Leszno, Poland
• 100lat!/Сто літ!, Lviv Palace of Arts, Ukraine
• Luminol, Konduktorownia, Częstochowa, Poland
• 5th International biennial of watercolors, Progres Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia; Degen Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
• BP Portrait Award 2018, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
• 6th National Competition for Young Artists Marian Michalik, Częstochowa, Poland
• Auditorium Comicum Opening, The University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
• +48, Kamieniecka Art Gallery, Kamieniec Podolski, Ukraine
• Q&A, Gallery of Modern Art MD_S, Wrocław, Poland
• 10th International Biennial of Miniature Art, Gaude Mater Gallery, Czestochowa, Poland
• Promotions 2018, 28th National Review of Young Paintings, Art Gallery Legnica, Poland
• 6th International Andriolli Drawing Competition Nałęczów 2018, NOK, Nałęczów, Poland
2017
• 1st Art Confrontations, Test Gallery, Warsaw, Poland
• Drawings in a hurry/ ZĪMĒJUMI STEIGĀ, exhibition halls of the Riga Academy of Fine Arts, Riga, Latvia
• New Image/New Look (Nowy Obraz/Nowe Spojrzenie), Municipal Gallery Arsenal, Poznan, Poland
• 4th Piotrkowskie Art Biennale, Center Of Artistic Actions, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland
• Light Resonance, diploma, CSUCI, Wroclaw, Poland – solo exhibition
• 9th Triennial of Polish Contemporary Drawing, Museum of Kresy, Lubaczow, Poland
2016
• Mechanica organica, solo exhibition, Slimak Art Gallery, Wroclaw, Poland
• 16th Figurama 2016, The Roundabout of Arts, Katowice; Hospital Kuks, Czech Republic
• KUNSTZUG- Train to the Art, Oktogon Gallery, Dresden, Germany
• 7th International Exhibition of Student Drawing DRAW NATURALLY, Wozownia, Torun, Poland
• 4th International Watercolor Biennial Belgrade, Serbia
• 10th Triennial of Small Painting Forms, Wozownia Gallery, Torun, Poland
• Initial Singularities, Contemporary Art Gallery BCK, Brzeg, Poland
• Festival of Underwater Wroclaw, Railway Station Swiebodzki, Wroclaw, Poland
• 9th International Biennial of Miniature Art, Gaude Mater Gallery, Czestochowa, Poland
• Station MD_S, Gallery of Modern Art MD_S, Wroclaw, Poland
• Station runde ecke, Gallery Runde Ecke, Dresden, Germany
• Labirinto-Labyrinth, Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, Rome, Italy
2015
• 15th Figurama 2015, Wroclaw, Poland
• Our Last Portraits, Piwnice Art Gallery, SOK Staszow, Poland – solo exhibition
• 5th International Competition of drawing M. E. Andriolli, Naleczow, Poland
• MUZA2015, Centre of Culture Promotion in Praga, Warsaw, Poland
2014
• 1st International Student Drawing Triennale, The Roundabout of Arts, Katowice, Poland
• 14th Figurama: International Exhibition of Figurative Drawing Student: CK Poznan Castle, Poland; GASK Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
• Exploration and confrontations, Library UZ, Zielona Gora, Poland
• Ctrl + S, Stolarnia Gallery, Wroclaw, Poland
• Second International Student Biennial Drawing Sofia,Academia Gallery of the National Academy of Art, Sofia, Bulgaria
• 8th Triennale of Polish Contemporary Drawing, Museum of the Borderlands, Lubaczów; BWA Art Gallery in Zamosc, Poland
• 9th International Biennial of Drawing, Municipal Gallery of Pilsen City, Czech Republic
IN COLLECTION
City of Wrocław
Zachęta Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts
Krupa Gallery Foundation
Kresy Museum in Lubaczów
Private collections