Foundation

ART TRANSPARENT Contemporary Art Foundation was originated in 2005 in Wrocław. People who are involved in its work are specialists in a variety of fields: artists and lecturers associated with the Wrocław Academy of Fine Arts, psychologists and specialists in the area of social sciences. The Foundation’s goals regarding contemporary art and social topics are being achieved by means of local and national projects as well as own initiatives and attempts to consolidate the artistic and intellectual environment around current social and art problems.

The key direction of our activities is a constant participation in the awareness raising of the public space – its purpose and ways in which it is used. Moreover we wish to contribute to the extensive promotion of the contemporary art. Our goal is to instill the attitude of openness and enhanced thoughtfulness in our audiences. At the same time we wish to encourage artists’ willingness of confrontation with the viewer, the need of dialogue and engagement in cultural and educational activities. We find it particularly important to emphasize the special role of the contemporary art in the process of social development – therefore we engage in initiatives with a social, educational and anti-discriminatory character, as well as those which are an attempt to face the problem of memory and trauma of a difficult past (in its historical, social and individual aspects).

Since 2005 ART TRANSPARENT organizes the SURVIVAL Art Review /www.survival.art.pl/, since 2007 runs the Contemporary Art Gallery in the former studio of professor Eugeniusz Geppert – “Mieszkanie Gepperta”, and since 2021 runs Szewska Gallery. Besides, the Foundation is engaged in publishing and educational activities, in particular those connected with the issues of social exclusion, otherness and anti-discrimination.

Fundację tworzą

  • MICHAŁ BIENIEK

    Michał Bieniek is President of the Art Transparent Contemporary Art Foundation. He is also the instigator and general curator of the SURVIVAL Art Review and manager of the Mieszkanie Gepperta contemporary art gallery in Wrocław. A graduate of the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design, he also studied Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art in London. Bieniek curated the Polish edition of Thierry Geoffroy’s Emergency Room format during the European Culture Congress in Wrocław in 2011, and the exhibition and symposium Active Poetry. Art in Public Space in Poland, which was presented at Shoreditch Town Hall and Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 2012. From 2013 he served the function of the chief curator of the visual arts of the Wrocław 2016 European Capital of Culture programme. During this time he curated the exhibition Dispossession at the International Art Biennial in Venice in 2015, and created, co-created or supervised over a hundred other projects, interventions and exhibitions (including Eduardo Chillida’s Sounds at Awangarda BWA Wrocław and Summer Rental. The Marx Collection in Wrocław at the Four Domes Pavilion, a branch of the National Museum in Wrocław. He was two-times recipient of the stipend of the Polish Ministry of Culture. For his work and efforts in the field of culture he also received the award of the Marshal of Lower Silesia, the prestigious WARTO award from Gazeta Wyborcza daily, and Emocje award from Radio Culture Wrocław. In 2017 the F5 magazine ranked him as the first among ten activists who change the space of Wrocław for the better; he was also named one of the 30 most creative inhabitants of Wrocław. Author of many texts and editor of publications on contemporary art.

  • KAROLINA BIENIEK

    Ph.D. in social sciences [political science, African studies], scientific interests involve research on peace, foreign policy and culture in international relations. Posseses over 17 years of experience in non-profit sector. Scientific and project experience in countries of the Global South (e.g. Republic of Guinea, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal). Conducted research on foreign policy of Rwanda, security in Eastern Africa as well as on peace-building and regional cooperation in African Great Lakes Region. Coordinated over 30 national or international projects. Winner of the “30 Creative Wrocławians 2017” contest.

  • ANNA KOŁODZIEJCZYK

    1999-2005 studied at the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and Wrocław; winner of numerous prizes: Mayor of Wrocław Award in the Eugeniusz Geppert National Painting Competition 2007, Grand Prix Samsung Art Master 2004; 3rd prize in the Samsung Art Master Competition 2005, among others; was granted the scholarship of the Marshal of the Lower Silesia in the area of Culture and Art 2005; since 2005 has worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Painting of the Wrocław Academy of Fine Arts. Involved in the ART TRANSPARENT Foundation, co-operating with curators of various art events in Wrocław. Co-organizer of the exhibition for the event of the 60th Anniversary of the Wrocław Academy of Fine Arts, “Wrocław Skyscrapers”(“Wieżowce Wrocławia”) in the National Museum in 2006. Co-ordinates the programme of cultural events and meetings in the Geppert’s Apartment Gallery. Curator of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th editions of the SURVIVAL Young Art in Extreme Conditions Review. Winner of the Gazeta Wyborcza wARTo Award 2010.

  • DANIEL BROŻEK

    Wroclaw based sound art curator (Survival Art Review, Canti Spazializzati, Sanatorium of Sound), modern music critic (Glissando magazine, Canti Illuminati blog) and sound studies researcher (Soundscape Research Studio at Wroclaw University). In Czarny Latawiec project works as a sound artist, produces music albums, sound installations and soundtracks for theatre plays.

    Czarny Latawiec – is working in the fields of sonoristic plunderphonics and sound imperialism. His productions are devoted to the epiphanies of african rhythms’ timelessness and the power of just intonation frequencies.

  • PAWEŁ ROGOWSKI

    Producer and coordinator of artistic and cultural events for companies, non-governmental organisations and cultural institutions. He has graduated in Political Science from the University of Wrocław and completed post-graduate studies in Human Resources Management at the University of Economics. He has been producing events during the International Short Story Festival in Wrocław since 2012. In 2016–2021, he worked at the Ossoliński National Institute, where he headed the Audience Service Department and then the Event Organisation Department at the Pan Tadeusz Museum. His professional experience includes the production of the Survival Art Review (2012, 2013, 2014); administration for the English-language internet radio RadioWroclove.com (2009–2010); production of the exhibition Active Poetry. Introduction to Polish Art in Public Space, Shoreditch Town Hall, London, as well as the exhibition Dispossession (Accompanying Event of the 56th Venice Biennale organised by European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016); production of exhibitions during the 2019 Drawing Triennial in Wrocław (for the Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław).