The brutal forms of Alina Szapocznikow’s works – jagged, deformed figures – and the naturalism of her polyester casts are characterised by a powerful expressiveness.
However, the sculptor began with a style characteristic of Socialist Realism, interpreting it entirely in her own way. Over time, she moved very far away from the Socialist Realist convention. Through her work, she processed the painful memories of the war years – she was a teenage prisoner in concentration camps and lost some of her loved ones as a result of the Holocaust. In 1969, she was diagnosed with breast cancer – from then on, in a bold manner unprecedented in art, she referred directly and honestly to her illness.
Despite these dramatic experiences, in her works she sought to emphasise the sensual and erotic aspects of human existence.
At the heart of Alina Szapocznikow’s work lies the body, which serves as a conduit for both dramatic stories and sensual pleasure. The body – one’s own and that of another; the face, from which, as in *Herbarium*, one can read the full spectrum of emotions and the depth of symbolism. The exhibition is intended to affect the viewer almost haptically – despite the impossibility of touching the artworks, it aims to create a sense of physical closeness. The small exhibition space allows for a truly personal connection between the audience and Szapocznikow’s sensibility.
Agata Małodobry
Curator: Agata Małodobry
Coordinator: Gabriela Kuleczko
Exhibition design: Marta Staszków
MNK Main Building
al. 3 Maja 1, 30-062 Kraków
