“VOICES(S) OF ALINA SZAPOCZNIKOW”
AT THE POLIN MUSEUM
POLIN Museum
"The Voice(s) of Alina Szapocznikow" showcases two original sculptures: 'Vowels' and 'Consonants'. These sister works, created in 1962, are reunited for the first time in many years. One of the pieces, "Vowel", will remain in Poland permanently as part of the POLIN Museum Collection.
This exhibition not only marks the first public display of a new work from the collection but also offers a glimpse into how the artist utilised the organic forms of stone, influenced by nature, in the early 1960s. Szapocznikow analysed the crevices and edges of stone as a valuable source of inspiration for her sculptural creations, shaping her unique artistic language.
In her work, we can hear and pronounce sounds that Szapocznikow attempted to capture in stone. "Vowel" is a sandstone block sculpted into the shape of the letter U, with a crevice filled by an organic form cast in bronze. This piece is complemented in both content and history by "Consonant", which is made from the same material and was created in the same year.
The sculpture exhibition is accompanied by a screening of Krzysztof Tchórzewski's film, which documents the artist's studio in its original state, right after her death.
This film not only provides a broader context for the sculptures on display but also invites reflection on the artist's life and work in relation to the Holocaust.
Alina Szapocznikow was born in 1926 in Kalisz and passed away in 1973 in Praz Coutant near Paris. Before the war, she lived in Pabianice. From 1940 to 1942, she, along with her mother and brother, spent time in the local ghetto. They were later sent to the Łódź ghetto and then transported through Auschwitz to the camps in Bergen-Belsen and Theresienstadt. After the war, she studied art in Prague and France. In the early 1950s, she returned to Poland, where she continued her artistic career.
Alina Szapocznikow was a highly original contemporary sculptor. Drawing on her personal experience of many years battling an incurable disease, she developed a unique language of forms to reflect the changes occurring in the human body. She boldly experimented with new materials, and thanks to these innovations, she created poignant and intimate works that possess rare expressive power.
Throughout her diverse body of work, the artist remained true to herself.
"I enjoy working with malleable materials, where every touch leaves a mark. [...] This physical contact gives me the sensation of transferring myself into the sculpture" - she stated in a 1961 interview with "Zwierciadło" magazine.
In the history of art, Alina Szapocznikow is recognised as one of the pioneers of modern women's art.
The purchase of her sculpture "Vowel" was made possible through funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The POLIN Museum invites you to explore an exhibition featuring the sculptures of Alina Szapocznikow, a Holocaust Survivor, a pioneer of modern women's art and one of the most original contemporary artists. The intimate exhibition, titled 'The Voice(s) of Alina Szapocznikow', is open until March 9, 2026, and includes the premiere presentation of a new addition to the museum's collection. The exhibition is curated by Dr Renata Piątkowska.
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