The Iron Man exhibition brings together works by two artists from very different generations, who speak of important but unapparent layers of human emotionality. What also unites them is their perfectionism in their medium of choice and their attention to the quality of the idea introduced into the common social space.The exhibition is also the first solo presentation of Paweł Jach’s paintings in Wroclaw. This interior designer, painter, teacher and social activist was born in Łódź in 1945, but has lived and worked in Wałbrzych for many years. Jach’s paintings, mostly figurative, often focusing on silhouettes and nudes of young men in futuristic and surrealistic settings, are characterised by a high level of technical skill. In line with the artist’s philosophy, his most recent series of oil paintings, Multikulti and Hortus Conclusus, express admiration for the beauty of the cosmos, earthly nature and human achievements, as well as approval for naturism, civil partnerships, the idea of free love and different gender identities. These paintings can be classified as sui generis, i.e. singular and unique, while at the same time playing the role of secular icons due to their peculiar mysticism. As far as the painter’s technique is concerned, however, associations with the centuries-old convention of trompe l’oeil come to mind. Highly appreciated at European courts, it plays optical and mimetic games with the viewer, creating an illusion so perfect that senses other than sight are needed to see through it. It is astonishing that, despite the full commitment to his artistic development and the scope of his unique concept of painterly figuration, Paweł Jach has so far failed to make a name for himself on the Wrocław art scene, functioning instead on the periphery of local visual art trends of recent decades.The second part of the exhibition, and at the same time its conclusion, takes the form of a sculpture by Krystian Truth Czaplicki. The artist addresses the subject of power structures, questioning social norms and visualising current political unrest. The massive and dominant silhouette of a half-naked man, fused with a pacifist emblem, is a kind of social satire that refers to contemporary perceptions of the 21st-century human being.Curator: Anna Kołodziejczyk
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Paweł W. Jach
Born in 1945 in Łódź. He graduated from the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Łódź and from the Academy of Fine Arts (currently the Academy of Fine Arts) in Gdańsk at the Interior Design Faculty, as well as from the Higher School of Management and Enterprise in Wałbrzych on courses in pedagogy and philosophy/ethics.
Among other things, he has worked as a designer at the Książ Castle, an organiser of exhibitions at BWA in Wałbrzych, a supervisor at a cultural centre and a teacher at secondary schools. He has been retired since 2011.
Independently of full-time employment, since graduating from university in 1976 and living in Wałbrzych, he has travelled around the country in connection with his own activities in the field of interior and furniture design, painting and spatial forms, and has also participated in numerous restoration and conservation works (wall and plafond painting, sgraffito).
He has presented his paintings and bas-reliefs at several solo exhibitions and dozens of group exhibitions at home and abroad. His works can be found in museum collections and private collections.
Krystian Truth Czaplicki
Born in 1984 in Europe.
Anna Kołodziejczyk
Painter, professor at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, art curator. She works mainly in oil painting, focusing on the theme of architectural ruins and the perception of ornament. Winner of the President’s Award in the 8th Eugeniusz Geppert National Painting Competition. In 2021, she was awarded the SILESIA Prize for her artistic achievements and contribution to the development of culture in Lower Silesia. She has participated several times in artistic and research projects, including those dedicated to the transformations of Japanese architecture (Tokyo, 2022) and the reinterpretation of antiquity (Athens, 2023).
12.04 – 29.05.2024 Iron Man
Paweł Jach & Krystian Truth Czaplicki
Curator: Anna Kołodziejczyk
Galeria Mieszkanie Gepperta ul. Ofiar Oświęcimskich 1/2
Exhibition opening hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays | 11:00-19:00
Admission: free
Graphic identification: Malwina Hajduk-Kawalec
Media patronage:
If you are interested in visiting the exhibition at other times or in a group visit, please contact: zapisy@arttransparent.or.
The “Iron Man” exhibition, realised within the framework of the task “Otwarta Pracownia Gepperta 2024” (Geppert’s Open Studio 2024), is co-financed by the Wrocław Municipality. / www.wroclaw.pl
