Michal Martychowiec creates conceptual series of photographs, films, drawings, neons, objects, and mix-media installations and environments. He is a visiting lecturer at the Russian Institute of History of Art (Russian Academy of Sciences) in St. Petersburg and China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.
Martychowiec’s oeuvre is structured through a mix media practice and explores the field of history and historic narratives, and consequently foundation of cultural symbols and archetypes. Through these Martychowiec constructs an individual artistic language. The pursuit of the meaning as such becomes pivotal and is placed within an existential framework.
The practice is arranged through projects consisting of individual narratives. At the same time these projects inform one another and their elements can be re-enacted and incorporated into later works where they acquire symbolic qualities.
Martychowiec’s practice sources ideas from philosophy (both oriental and occidental), history, history of art, history of religion, literature, contemporary culture and communication.
Education
2011
MA Fine Art (Distinction) | Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design | London
2010
Postgraduate Certificate in Photography | Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design | London
2007
Foundation Diploma in Art and Design | London College of Communication
Selected exhibitions
2017
What remains the poets provide | Art Museum of NUA | Nanjing (solo)
Sous les pavés, la plage! | De Sarthe Gallery | Beijing (solo)
The urge to create visions 1929-2017 | Centre of Polish Sculpture | Oronsko
2016
Engel mit Sphinx Gesichten | MMS2 | Berlin (solo)
Magic of the square | National Gallery of Art | Sopot
Illegibility | Art Stations Foundation | Poznan
Line | gif_lab Garage | Tokyo (solo)
the beginning the end | MMS2 | Berlin
Illegibility. Palimpsests | Pan Tadeusz Museum | Wroclaw
Everything about the contemporary is panda | TAGSTA Gallery | Fukuoka (solo)
Pure white | Galerie Tore Suessbier | Berlin
2015
All is history | Dzialdov | Berlin (solo)
Spacetime | 9th Biennial of Photography | Zamek Culture Centre | Poznan
Utopia – Preterites of Contemporaneity | Memorial Getúlio Vargas | Trio Biennial | Rio de Janeiro
Pré-Pénétrables | Signum Project | Lodz
Le gallerie veneziane e la fotografia | Casa dei Tre Oci | Venice
2014
I want to be a futurist | Videoinsight Center | Turin
When Empty Self Becomes Form | ts art projects | Berlin
Art for care: 11 video steps for your wellness – Format A/B | Videoinsight Center | Turin
2013
Vanito Vanitas | Genshagen Stiftung | Genshagen (solo)
La Chambre de Labastrie | galleria upp | Venice (solo)
In memory | Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle | Warsaw (solo)
Pavilion 0 | Palazzo Doná | Venice
In memory | site-specific installation at KO-SO-YU | Yamashiro Onsen, Kaga, Japan (solo)
2012
FUTURE, LANDSCAPE. A changing exhibition. II Fase | Forte Marghera – Parco del Contemporaneo | Venice
2011
Blue Red Green | gift_lab | Tokyo (solo)
Drawing connections | Siena Art Institute | Siena
Nel mezzo del cammin | galleria upp | Venice (solo)
Stone in water | site-specific installation at Palazzo Rizzo Patarol | Boscolo Hotel | Venice (solo)
Destination | galleria upp | Venice (solo)
2010
Presentation of a new photographic series in progress „Vanito Vanitas” | ArtsfORUM, Brighton Media Centre Gallery | Brighton
A theory of vision: A review | Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle | Warsaw
Awake and Dream. Documentation /photographs and films/ | Patio Art Centre Lodz | 2nd Art & Documentation Festival (solo)
Awake and Dream. Documentation /photographs and films/ | Fotofestiwal – 9th International festival of photography in Lodz (collateral exhibition) (solo)
2009
Awake and Dream. Documentation /photographs and films/ | Palazzo Doná Signum Foundation | Venice (solo)
Awake and Dream | Palazzo Doná Signum Foundation | Venice
Works in collections
Signum Foundation | Venice/Poznan
Galerie Denise René| Paris
Cruz-Diez Foundation | Houston, Texas
British Artists’ Film & Video Study Collection | London
Videoinsight Foundation | Turin
Collection GM | Lodz
Bank PEKAO SA | Warsaw
Siena Art Institute | Siena
Selected books
Paradigm Volume I – Genesis | Paradigm Publishing | Philadelphia 2014
Nel mezzo del cammin | Michal Martychowiec | galleria upp | Venice 2011
Awake and Dream. Documentation /photographs and films/ | Michal Martychowiec | Signum Foundation | Venice 2009