Self-portrait 2009

The winner of the international competition SELF-PORTRAIT 2009, organized by the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola, was Jarek Dąbrowski, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, for his work Dividuum, a 1′ 20″ video inspired by the art of Caspar David Friedrich.

The official announcement of the results and the opening of the post-competition exhibition will take place on December 4, 2009, at the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola.

The post-competition exhibition will be accompanied by a display titled Self-Portraits at the Start, which will feature dozens of works from previous editions of the competition, selected by art critic Bogusław Deptuła, one of the jurors of the Self-Portrait competition.

In this year’s edition of SELF-PORTRAIT 2009, aimed at students and graduates of art schools, 185 participants submitted 307 works. The competition is designed as a forum for young artists from Poland, Europe, and the USA to showcase their achievements, with the best works being displayed not only in Stalowa Wola but also in various Polish and international galleries.

Organized for the eighth time by the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola, the competition was funded this year by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The rules of Self-Portrait do not restrict the form of artistic expression. By encouraging young artists to delve deeper into the lives and works of outstanding artists whose achievements have significantly impacted the development of art, the competition serves an educational purpose and provides an opportunity for dialogue with masters of the past.

In addition to the chance of winning prizes totaling 2,500 euros, participants gain exposure to a wide audience and the opportunity to test their skills before a demanding jury composed of renowned artists: Tomasz Tatarczyk (chair), Alicja Czajkowska-Magdziak, Tomasz Ciecierski, Robert Kuśmirowski, Robert Maciejuk, Paweł Susid, Sławomir Toman, and art critic Bogusław Deptuła.

“This year’s edition of the Self-Portrait international competition once again saw an increase in the number of participants and works, providing a substantial amount of high-quality artistic pieces,” commented art critic Bogusław Deptuła. “This time, the winning piece was a video by Jarek Dąbrowski inspired by the art of the German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich. It is an excellent realization, technically proficient, while reaching into the modern essence of Friedrich’s art, a painter whose work continues to intrigue and appears in diverse artistic contexts in exhibition halls around the world.”

Winners of the 8th edition of the SELF-PORTRAIT competition:

Jarek Dąbrowski (1st Prize)
Dividuum, video, 1′ 20″
Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Leon Schiller National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź
Inspired by Caspar David Friedrich

Justyna Gryglewicz (2nd Prize)
Untitled, found-footage film, digital transfer from super 8 mm tape, 4′ 52″
Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków
Inspired by Gerhard Richter

Patricia Jagicza (2nd Prize)
Waves, Soap, Hair (Framed), 25.2 x 25.2 cm
Hungarian University of Fine Arts in Budapest
Inspired by Tom Friedman

Hanna Śliwińska (2nd Prize)
Hanka 23, Sometimes Chooses Gray, acrylic on canvas, 240 x 185 cm
Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław
Inspired by Jan Van Der Pol

Honorable Mentions:

Pascale Heliot
French Ticket, from the series Trifles, tempera, acrylic, drawing on canvas, 5.5 x 8.5 cm
Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań
Inspired by On Kawara

Milena Korolczuk
Black /after Reinhardt/, photography, 52 x 52 cm
Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań
Inspired by Ad Reinhardt

Kamil Słodek
The Last Self-Portrait, oil on canvas, glue, 55.5 x 65 cm
Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa
Inspired by Vincent van Gogh

Alicja Wysocka
Telescope, photography, series of 5 pairs of photos, 10 x 12 cm
Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań
Inspired by Christian Boltanski

The post-competition exhibition SELF-PORTRAIT 2009 will be held at the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola from December 4, 2009, to January 3, 2010. The exhibition is curated by Monika Kuraś.

The retrospective exhibition SELF-PORTRAITS AT THE START will be held at the Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola from December 4, 2009, to January 3, 2010. The exhibition is curated by Bogusław Deptuła.

Additional Information:

Monika Kuraś, tel. 015 844 85 56
e-mail: mkuras@muzeum.stalowawola.pl
www.muzeum.stalowawola.pl/autoportret