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Magdalena Abakanowicz │ Presence, Essence, Identity

September 30 – December 30 2018, Start and end dates


The “Former Mine” Science and Art Centre in Wałbrzych and the All That Art! Foundation with headquarters in Wroclaw are pleased to present the exhibition of Magdalena Abakanowicz: Presence, Essence, Identity, which is the second retrospective exhibition of the artist, curated by Maria Rus Bojan. The exhibition, whose opening will take place on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at the Contemporary Art Gallery of the Former Mine Science and Art Cente, is a fascinating collection of sculptures by Magdalena Abakanowicz, covering the period from the early 1970s to the end of the first decade of the 21st century, which will include also a rich display of the artist's unique monumental works shown in the open air.

Magdalena Abakanowicz, one of the greatest Polish stars on the world's art scene, gained international renown in the 1960s as a result of the presentation of experimental and extremely rare at that time sculptures made of artistic fabric, called "Abakans" by the artist. Liquid structures woven from organic materials have greatly expanded the traditional understanding of sculpture, transforming the flat surface of the fabric into a dynamic spatially organized form that releases complex visual and tactile sensations.

Throughout her life, Magdalena Abakanowicz devoted all creative energy to the continuous exploration of the dialectical relationship that man divides with the world's broadly understood world, translating his awareness of the essence of things into unique sculptural performances. The artist's works that elude all attempts to categorize are intelligent forms of physical thinking that challenge conventional conception of art and ask questions that are universal and key to the experiences of all people.

The presented exhibition proposes a coherent review of the artist's work, distinguishing the most important works created at all stages of her career, focused on key themes such as freedom and loss, resurrection and destruction, identity and dissimilarity. The exhibition, comprising more than 100 sculptures, attempts to understand the significance of key themes and issues - Presence, Being, Identity - for Magdalena Abakanowicz, and the way the artist revolutionized the history of sculpture thanks to the constant continuing redefinition of the framework of her work.

After the success of the Wrocław exhibition Traces of existence, in tribute to Magdalena Abakanowicz presented in 2017, curated by Mariusz Hermansdorfer together with Maria Rus Bojan, the new presentation offers a new selection of works that commemorate the long-term cooperation and friendship between Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017) and Mariusz Hermansdorfer (1940-2018) - a visionary, curator and art historian.

The presented works come from the private collection of the artist, the collection of Irmina Nazar and Artur Trawiński, the MARe collection, and the collection NOWA 20_21.

Curator of the exhibition: Maria Rus Bojan (Holland).

The exhibition was prepared by the Old Mine Science and Art Center, Magdalena Mielnicka and the All That Art Foundation! in Wroclaw in cooperation with Studio Magdalena Abakanowicz in Warsaw.

Main sponsor: Art East Foundation, London

Sponsors: City of Wałbrzych, SleepWalker Boutique Hotel

Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund

More information can be obtained by contacting the gallery at the Stara Kopalnia Science and Art Center, ul. Piotr Wysocki 29, 58-304 Wałbrzych.

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