Beginnings
I was born in Lublin, a beautiful city in eastern Poland. Thanks to my high school arts teacher, Barbara, I got very interested in art. Paul Gauguin became my favourite artist at the time. I was fascinated by his travels and the paintings he created in Tahiti. I even copied one of his paintings, just so I could hang it in my room.
After high school, I moved to Krakow to study the history of art at Jagiellonian University. I always liked to travel and discover new places;
and studying and living in Krakow was to become a cornerstone of future adventures. It was also such a delightful time to be in Krakow. Its art and stunning architecture inspired me. Each step I took brought more and more history into focus. If you’ve never been to Poland, Krakow should be your first city to visit.
During my studies – apart from being
fascinated by medieval art iconography as well
as contemporary art (Yves Klein and Joseph Beys, these days) — I became interested in
traditional crafts and folk art, which was not part of my formal studies. What caused the change: many things, but I remember visiting Podhale many times; and each and every time, I became very interested in its unique folklore and wooden architecture. Then, before my final year, I took a gap year and travelled to London. Again, I felt so inspired by its grandeur: the museums were filled with amazing paintings that I had only read about in a library in Krakow. All were there, just in front of my nose. Shortly after graduation, in 2007, I moved to London.
Pająki
Pająki (pah-yonk-ee) are traditional Polish
chandeliers made from rye straw and paper.
Amongst colourful paper cut-outs and and
paintings of saints adorned with paper
flowers, these chandeliers – suspended from
Above:
Palm Sunday,
Kurpie.
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