The exhibition at the Municipal Gallery bwa in Bydgoszcz features a series of collages that formally refer to the action of painting. Bogucka’s dream of combining and enclosing both forms in the frame of a single painting came true and revealed itself; it can certainly be regarded as pure joy of creation and self-realisation, which resulted in a series of works in mixed technique, forming a kind of diptych.
The collages in the recent series can be seen as an expression of “black thoughts” – this motif appears in her works, carrying with it a dark and introspective atmosphere. The artist is not afraid to address themes related to emotions, internal conflicts, the human condition and existential questions. The motif of darkness, both literal and metaphorical, appears in Bogucka’s work to portray uneasy emotional states such as anxiety, fear or loneliness. Her recent works are dominated by strong contrasts, a dark colour palette and unsettling forms that may reflect inner “black thoughts” – a condition that combines reflections on human fears, transience, but also on the search for meaning and a way out of darkness. The viewer can see different facets, as nothing is unambiguous. It is an oeuvre that forces us to reflect on what lies ‘beyond’ visibility, in layers of subconsciousness and emotions that we are not always able to fully express in words.
Adriana Usarek
Sleeplessness
I don’t sleep too well. I have a lot of anxiety in me. I wake up in the middle of the night. There is silence all around. Rolling from side to side has no effect. I walk around the house, observing the familiar space barely lit by moonlight or lanterns. Everything looks different. Things and spaces take on completely different shapes Shapes are soft, contrasts subdued, space teems. I watch it all with interest. I’m interested in the atmosphere my head creates: suspense, anxiety, the calm before the storm – before the day. I go from room to room and try to remember all the impressions. I do the same when reading a book, a newspaper or an article on the internet during the day. I write down all the words that torment me. They will be the titles of my works. I create collages of the Sleeplessness series from these expressions and words. I contrast the nocturnal tranquillity with the restlessness of a body that can in no way fit itself into sleep. What I saw is mixed with what I felt. I draw out and arrange tension from the elements and search for the ultimate form for the fears. I turn it into a solvable task – all you have to do is give it shape and form and then insert it into the frame. Paradoxically, I find the work relaxing and unwinding. I cannot give it up and the cycle continues to grow. The question looming on the horizon is whether this is not another problem I have just created.
Katarzyna Bogucka
Katarzyna Bogucka is once again presenting her work at the Municipal Gallery bwa in Bydgoszcz. In 2020, an exhibition called Posters was held, featuring the artist’s best-known works. More recently, Bogucka has also begun to produce paintings and collages that add variety to her graphic design and illustration work. Her collages were exhibited at the Municipal Art Gallery in Łódź – Galeria Re:Medium, during the exhibition Formy intymne (Intimate Forms), as well as at the exhibition Bezsenność (Insomnia) at the Mazovian Institute of Culture – Galeria Elektor. At the exhibition in Bydgoszcz, entitled Czarne myśli (Black Thoughts), we have the opportunity to see the works from the series Bezsenność created between 2022–2024. The main part of the exhibition consists of collages on paper and works in mixed technique, in which Bogucka combines collage with oil painting on canvas. For this exhibition, the artist has, for the first time, prepared a spatial installation referring to her collages. A unique element of her work is her handmade paper, which gives her compositions a unique character. The artist also creates paper marbling (ebru technique), which is the art of creating patterns on viscous water. This method produces extremely striking patterns, which the artist transfers to paper for use in her collages. This process requires not only precision and patience, but also an openness to randomness, which enriches the works with an element of unpredictability. The compositions are in a cool, muted colour palette dominated by black, grey, navy blue and subtle touches of white. Central to most of the works are organic, irregular shapes that intermingle and overlap to create a sense of movement and depth. Each element is created from materials of varying textures, enhancing the dynamic effect. The contrasts between sharp lines and layered textures build the complexity of the composition. The works, although almost abstract, contain subtle suggestions of shapes – fragments resembling faces and other figurative elements. Titles of her works, such as “Rozedrganie” (Quivering), “Napięcie” (Tension), “Zmora” (Nightmare), “Nerwy” (Nerves), “Czarne myśli” (Black Thoughts) or “Obsesje” (Obsessions), signify the presence of anxiety and fear. They carry intense emotions, showing the darker sides of the human psyche. Czarne myśli is an exhibition that appeals to both the imagination and the emotions.
What happens when, despite the passage of time and the quiet of the night, you cannot fall asleep? What do you think about then? What images appear in your mind? During the day, the world seems orderly and the things around us – predictable. At night, however, everything changes: the space takes on a new dynamic, and familiar objects take on unexpected forms – full of sharp contours and mysterious shadows. The Bezsenność series is an attempt to capture the fleeting nature of the night – its atmosphere and emotions accompanying the struggle with one’s own thoughts and fears.
Karolina Rybka
Katarzyna Bogucka was born in Łomża. She obtained her diploma in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń in Professor Jan Pręgowski’s studio in 2009. While finishing university, she also defended an appendix in stained glass, as well as in drawing by creating an original comic strip. During her studies, she took book design classes led by Iwona Chmielewska. In 2013, she was awarded the Special Prize of the Nami Island International Illustration Concours for Picture Book Illustrations in Seoul, and participated in an illustration exhibition in Bologna. In 2014 she took part in the literature festival Viva Literatura! in Berlin. In 2015, together with Szymon Tomiło, she was awarded the Bologna Ragazzi Award in the Book&Seeds category for “Wytwórnik kulinarny.” In the same year, she won the gold medal of the Satyrykon in Legnica. In 2017, she spent a month at Fontevraud Abbey designing the visuals for the wine festival. In the same year, her original picture book received an award from the Polish Section of Ibby. In 2020, she returned to painting and collage and has since led a double creative life.
curator – Karolina Rybka
Start 17.01.2025, 6pm
St. Gdańska 3
End 01.03.2025
