Collection

Włodzimierz Pawlak

Journal E/161

1998, gouache, paper, 28.5 × 20 cm

“Monday, me. Tuesday, me. Wednesday, me.” Włodzimierz Pawlak seems to be emulating the writer Witold Gombrowicz in his journal of paintings, a personal and colourful account of one day after another. Gombrowicz claimed that “a painter dissects the visible world into elements of colour and shape, arranging them in new and arbitrary compositions.” Pawlak’s artworks seem to contain references to such a perception of the creative process. His pure colours and expressive tonal compositions yield no separate narrative, their nature abstract and unfalteringly arbitrary.

Włodzimierz Pawlak

b. 1957, Korytów near Żyrardów

Painter, creator of objects, performance artist, teacher. He is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and a co-founder of Gruppa, a famous art collective of the 1980s. This was also when he created a series of final diploma images he intended to paint over in the presence of the examination committee, in a gesture of solidarity with the authors of political slogans painted over on walls of buildings across the city. Pieces in the cycle are coated with a layer of masking paint covering the composition itself. Ever since, his work has included political and social motifs, as well as tropes of the role and agency of art. He was awarded the Grand Prix of the 22nd International Festival of Painting in Cagnes-sur-Mer for his Journals cycle in 1990, and the Jan Cybis Award in 2017. He lives and works in Korytów.

b. 1957, Korytów near Żyrardów

Painter, creator of objects, performance artist, teacher. He is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and a co-founder of Gruppa, a famous art collective of the 1980s. This was also when he created a series of final diploma images he intended to paint over in the presence of the examination committee, in a gesture of solidarity with the authors of political slogans painted over on walls of buildings across the city. Pieces in the cycle are coated with a layer of masking paint covering the composition itself. Ever since, his work has included political and social motifs, as well as tropes of the role and agency of art. He was awarded the Grand Prix of the 22nd International Festival of Painting in Cagnes-sur-Mer for his Journals cycle in 1990, and the Jan Cybis Award in 2017. He lives and works in Korytów.

I agree to the processing of data in accordance with the Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please disable cookies in your browser. More →

Changes to the Privacy Policy


In accordance with the legal requirements imposed by the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing of the Directive 95/46/WE, a new Privacy Policy applies on this Website, which contains all information regarding the collection, processing, and protection of personal data of users of this Website.

Furthermore, we remind you that for the correct operation of the website we use information stored in cookie files. You can change the cookies settings in the settings of your browser. If you do not agree to the use of cookies on this Website, please change the settings in your browser or leave the Website.

Privacy Policy