10th Triennial of Polish Graphic Art – AFA Katowice graduate wins again
Barbara Jura, last year’s graduate of the AFA Katowice, has won the oldest and most prestigious review of Polish contemporary graphic art. Three years ago the top prize went to Kamil Kocurek, who had just graduated from AFA Katowice. The post-competition exhibition is on display at the Silesian Museum in Katowice until 27 January 2018.
The Triennial shows the works of artists who express themselves in the graphic medium, including classic printmaking techniques such as lithography or chalcography, serigraphy, digital print, animation and spatial forms.
The main part of the event is the competition with a prize pool of PLN60,000. 633 works by 264 artists were accepted, with 97 qualified for the main exhibition. The jury members: Modhir Ahmed, Ciprian Ciuclea, Paul Coldwell, Krzysztof Tomalski and Ingrid Ledent as the chair have decided to distribute the prizes as follows:
First prize: Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and PLN20,000 – Barbara Jura (Katowice)
Explanation:
The artist, working in the medium, confronts important social dilemmas. She shows that, while drawing from tradition, graphic art is still alive. The author faces the dilemma connected with the nature of production and creation. Her work requires attention and invites to viewer to react.
Second prize: Award of the Marshal of Silesian Voivodship and PLN15,000 – Tomasz Winiarski (Kraków)
Explanation:
The award-winning set is based on the distinguished technique of mezzotint, which is often associated with concentration and precision. However, in this case it was used as an expressive and modern medium. The prints invite the viewer to slowly decipher the meaning.
Third prize: Award of the Mayor of Katowice and PLN 10,000 – Mariusz Filipowicz (Warszawa)
Explanation:
The work uses the scanner in order to explore the problem of identity and image; it engages the viewer with a series of constantly changing portraits. The work shows how personal impressions change into a data sequence. At the same time, it refers to the very process of printmaking – the reproduction of images. It involves us in the process of their mental production and consumption.