Malgorzata Zurakowska

Malgorzata Zurakowska

born in Krakow, Poland
immigrated to Ottawa, Ontario in 1988

click on thumbnail at left to view a larger image

About the influence of her Polish education on her art, printmaker Malgorzata Zurakowska has written that it "shaped my sensitivity [but] the relation is not very direct . . . as I strive to ask metaphysical questions which are universally valid. Esoteric symbolic language which I use belongs to pan-European tradition. What is specifically of Polish origin is craftsmanship" (1998). Her work is generally small in scale, and her concern with themes of suffering may explain her attraction to the mezzotint process, a type of printing described by Nancy Baele as being principally about a quality of blankness, "deep velvety blacks and the play of light on them" (1994). Another series entitled Passion expands on the theme of the suffering of Christ, going beyond this religious meaning of the word which Zurakowska finds limiting (1998). As she explains: "The 'Passions' have suffered in philosophy from their unflattering juxtaposition of reason, attempts to deny what is uniquely human. A human being in the existential quest has free will in dealing with pain, either to deny its existence or to accept it, and thus transcend the suffering. The 'Passion' cycle . . . attempts to bring up specifically spiritual means of expression to transmit numinous wonder of transfigured suffering" (1998). In a series of prints called The Apocalypse Cycle, Zurakowska draws upon the Book of Revelations to explore devastating occurrences such as the Gulf War and the Holocaust. In addition to her printmaking, Zurakowska has been instrumental in curating exhibitions such as Inside Out (1991) an exhibition held in Krakow which included the work of four Canadian print makers from Edmonton, and Illuminations (1997), an exhibition featuring the prints of Polish printmakers. Through these types of exhibitions, Zurakowska has fostered artistic and cultural exchanges between Poland and Canada.

Please note: Due to the dark quality of Zurakowska's images, reproductions suitable for the web were limited.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1998	Art Gallery, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington
1996	Atrium Municipal Gallery, Nepean/Ottawa, Ontario
1995	Museum Collegium Maius, Jagielonian University, Cracow, Poland Palac Opatow National Museum, Oliwa, Poland
1994	Galerie d'art Jean Claude Bergeron, Ottawa, Ontario James Baird Gallery, St. John's, Newfoundland
1993	Open Studio, Toronto, Ontario Malaspina Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
1992	FAB Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
1991	Listasafn ASI, Reykjavik, Iceland Forum Gallery, Windsor, Ontario
1990	MG Gallery, Lublin, Poland
1989	Gallery BWA, Lodz, Poland
1988	Gallery Detour, Namur, Belgium Klaines Augusteum, Oldenburg, Germany
1987	Gallery "La Plume" La Chaux-de-Fonds, Geneva, Switzerland Latitudes 53 Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
1986	Municipal Gallery, Fredrikstad, Norway
1985	Oldenburger Kunstverein, Oldenburg, Germany
1983	Gallery "ZABO", Nuremberg, Germany
1980	Gallery "Petits Formats", Paris, France Gallery Scharzich, Berlin, Germany

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1997-95	Bradley Print & Drawing Biennial Peoria, Illinois
1995	Print Triennial Tokyo, Japan
1995-81	Print Biennial Fredrikstad, Norway Print Biennial Ljubljana, Slovenia
1993-87	Premio Biella Italy
1991	Print Triennial Osaka, Japan
1991-87	Biennial Taipei, Taiwan
1987-84	Biennial/Triennial of Graphic Art Cracow, Poland
1985	Print & Drawing Biennial Rockford, Illinois Print Biennial Miami, Florida
1984	Ibizagrafic Ibiza, Spain
1983	European Print Biennial Baden, Germany

COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta
Art Museum, Essen, Germany
Artoteque, Bremen, Germany
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Ontario
Epper Museum, Ascona, Switzerland
Musée d'art et d'histoire, Geneva, Switzerland
Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia
National Museum, Cracow, Poznan, Szczecin, Gdansk, Poland
Trondelag Kunstgalleri, Trondheim, Norway
Vatican Collection

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baele, Nancy. "In touch with the medium: Nepean printmaker's art takes time." Ottawa Citizen, 27 February 1994, n.p.

Balau, Raymond-Marie. Article. Revue d'art (April 1985): n.p.

Gravure polonaise contemporaine. La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland: Editions d'En Haut, 1987.

Gray, Kathe. Face. Toronto, Ontario: Open Studio, 1996.

Kosinski, Marytka. Review. Extensions, A Quarterly Journal Published by the Print & Drawing Council of Canada (Spring 1992): n.p.

Lorent, Claude. "Detour pour Zurakowska." Art et culture (December 1988): n.p.

---. "Regards sur les arts plastiques." Vers l'Avenir (30 March 1985): n.p.

Mespouille, José. "Graveurs d'ailleurs." Vers l'Avenir (25 March 1985): n.p.

---. "Malgorzata Zurakowska où la symphonie en noir velour." Vers l'Avenir (10 December 1988): n.p.

Wax, Carol. The Mezzotint: History and Technique. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1990.