Monika Misztal
Monika Misztal was born on 1 May 1986 in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. She graduated in painting from the Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, in 2012 receiving her diploma with honours in Prof. Andrzej Bednarczyk’s studio, followed by an annexe in the 2nd interdisciplinary studio run by Grzegorz Sztwiertnia and Zbigniew Sałaj.
Monika Misztal paints pictures and makes video films almost at the same time, so that one activity permeates the other, preserving its media autonomy. The division into the world observed by the camera lens and the hand-created painting, their distinctiveness and simultaneous overlap, lend immense dynamics to the creative process. The picture is painted like a projected film, and the film aims at immobility of the image. The common ground is the language of painting. As Heidegger put it: “Man talks as long as he responds to language. Telling is listening.” Indeed, in this case the painter “teaches how to dwell in speaking the language”, referring it both to herself and the viewers. This phenomenological approach to painting as language perfectly agrees with what is characteristic of both the act of painting and filming. The artist instinctively senses the essence of language itself, its autonomy and mutuality of the theme which is often common for both media. The title of her works speak for themselves in that respect – “Herring”, “Salad”, “Bacon”, “Luncheon Meat” or “Egg”. The main subject of the works is what may be associated with the broadly understood word “Hunger”. By exhibiting works under this category, the artist addresses the question of hunger in art. In her case, it is hunger for painting language present in time, space and things meant to be eaten, approximated and digested in the act of painting, both using a brush and a camera. Satisfying hunger connected with greediness is taking place impulsively in this painting – immense quantities of greasy, oily paint are devoured here. The act of losing oneself in the language of painting contains its deepest meaning – tasting it.
Jacek Dłużewski
Monika Misztal
Exhibitions:
- Participation in the BERLIN PREVIEW Art Fair, 2013
- Individual exhibition “Hunger”, Open Studio, 2013
- Individual exhibition “Thorough Forecast”, Program Gallery Foundation of Contemporary Art, 2012
- Individual exhibition “Checking Activities”, University of Economics Gallery, 2012
- Individual exhibition, “U” Gallery, Zero Gravity, Wrocław, 2012
- Jubilee exhibition “Interdisciplinum Mobile”, BWA Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, 2011
- Exhibition “Imaginary Landscapes”, Saxon, Switzerland, 2011
- Currently qualified for the WRO ALTERNATIVE NOW Biennale, http://wro2011.wrocenter.pl/site/pl, 2011
- Participation in the Point of View Festival, Manhattan Gallery, Łódź, 2011
- Exhibition “Mrs Walewska”, Zbiornik Kultury, Cracow, 2011
- Animated film show of selected award-winners, Szajna Festival Competition, Rzeszów
- Polish-German exhibition “Art und BeziehungsWEISE – eine Polnisch-Deutsche Studentenbegegung”, Landes Museum, Bonn, 2010
- Video film show “Mediations”, Szara Gallery, Cieszyn, 2010
- Video show “Culture Container”, Fabryka Club, Cracow, 2010
- Collective exhibition of the Digital Imaging Studio, Photography Gallery Floriańska Street, Cracow, 2010
- Collective painting exhibition, Prof. Andrzej Bednarczyk’s studio, Cracow, 2010
- Hoża Hożarty Festival and painting exhibition, Warsaw, 2010
- Artenalia Student Art Festival, Old Abattoir, Poznań, 2010
- Art Festival and Fair, La Bladerie de la Art Exhibition, Robouix, France, 2009
Awards and distinctions:
2010/2011 Six-month scholarship at the Alanus Hochschule, Germany, organized by the General Consulate in Cologne and the German LVR Union
2010 Third Prize, Animated Film Competition and International Show, Technical University in Radom
