Zorka Wollny
Born 1980 in Krakow, Poland. She earned her PhD in fine arts at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts and is an Associate Professor at Szczecin Art Academy. Lives and works in Berlin.
Her works function at the boundary between the theatre and visual arts and are strictly related to the architecture. She collaborates—in a director-like mode—with musicians, actors and dancers and, every time with members of local communities too.
Her works were shown at the most prestigious institutions of contemporary art in Poland, moreover, she participated in international exhibitions at Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London (2014), Akademie der Künste in Berlin (2013), at the Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Leipzig (2012), Abteiberg Museum, Muenchengladbach (2012), at Turner Contemporary, Margate (2011), Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrad (2011), Carrara International Sculpture Biennale (2010), Z33, Hasselt (2010), Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich (2009) and Royal College of Art in London (2009).
In 2007 she represented Poland at the European artists’ exhibition in Brussels. She has four times held a scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture. In 2009 she was nominated to the Deutsche Bank and Zacheta Gallery Award for the best young Polish artist, and was Artist of the Year of the Arteon art magazine in 2010.
The jury wrote in the statement:
Zorka Wollny is a worthy successor of the first wave of artists that emerged in Poland after the great transformation of political system in 1989. She is an extremely interesting artist, most important aspects of her work being: intellectual liveliness, curiosity of the world, openness for cooperation and uncommon treatment of seemingly trivial subjects. Therefore, the art of Wollny is so difficult to pigeonhole—the artist smoothly moves among disciplines, making use of inspirational books. Moreover, she is devoted to the theatre, dance and music. The contact with others, conversations and flow of ideas is crucial for Wollny. So far, the work of Wollny has been categorized as feminist deconstruction of patriarchal codes of behaviour or a criticism of the form of institution. Such perception of her art, nevertheless, does not do justice to her individuality and the specific aura that surrounds her.
The most important performances:
Tartu Art Minuet,
Tartu Art Museum, September 2017
Impossible Opera,
Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, June 2017
Sound Seances,
Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, May 2017
Concert for Cricoteka,
Tadeusz Kantor Museum, Kraków, December 2016
Vox Populi
Narracje “Kingdom 60,8 m a.s.l.”, Gdańsk, November 2016
Mirangula
One Caucasus, Tibilisi, Georgia, August 2016
Kaddu Ndar,
Waaw Gallery, Saint Louis (Senegal), April 2016
All the Names,
Bunkier Sztuki Gallery Krakow, December 2015
Composition for 12 Actors and Lido Manufacture
Museum of Art, Lodz, November 2015
Five Tides
Lo Spasimo Cathedral, Palermo, September 2015
Order
Teutonic Castle, Świecie, August 2015
The Birds
Midnight Sow/New Horisons Film Festival Wrocław, July 2015
Songs of Resistance,
Istanbul, Taxim district, December 2014
Maspindzeli Songs
Institut of Contemporary Arts, London, December 2014
The Hearing Trumpet
Studio Theatre, Palace of Culture, Warsaw, October 2014
Resonance Assembly. Composition for Factory
Malzfabrik, District Berlin, July 2014
Ophelias. Iconography of Madness
Muzeum Sztuki Lodz 2012, Museum of Contemporary Art Wroclaw 2013
The Museum Theatre
Abteiberg Museum, Moenchengladbach, February 2012
Oratorio for Orchestra and Warsaw Citizens’ Choir
Warsaw Autumn – International Festival of Contemporary Music, September 2011
Song at Work
Wyspa Institute of Art, Gdansk, May 2011
Blackbox Forest Storytelling,
Blackbox Gallery, Basel, July 2011
Songs of the Sublime
Turner Contemporary, Margate, April 2011
Sonate of Erosion
Postmonument Sculpture Biennale, Carrara, October 2010
Body in the Library
Design Gallery, Wrocław, November 2010, University of Warsaw, January 2010
Music from the White Cube
Sierra Metro Gallery, Edinburgh, November 2010
Unhum for 23 musicians and 52 passers-by
Focus Łodź Biennale, September 2010
Summer Solstice
Malta – International Theatre Festival, Poznań, June 2010
Six Silhouettes on the Background of the Collection
Museum of Art, Łódź, May 2009
Ballad for the Zacheta Gallery
Zachęta National Gallery, Warsaw, September 2009
Polish Walk for the Collection of Art of 20th and 21st Century
Museum of Art, Łódź, January 2007
Museum (choreography)
National Museum, Kraków, June 2006
Concert For Landesmuseum
Landesmuseum Muenster, September 2005
I live in Ikea
Ikea Kraków, September 2004
Concert for High Heels,
Jagiellonian University, Krakow, April 2004
All exhibitions, solo projects and grants:
2017
Everything is getting better. Unknown Knowns of Polish (Post)Colonialism, Savvy Contemporary, Berlin
Awangarda. Sen Paradoksalny, Museum of Sopot
Gentle Destructions – duo exhibition with Keren Shalev, Flugwerk Berlin
Sound Seances, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg
Unmögliche Oper/Impossible Opera, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst
Heroines of Sound Festival, Radialsystem Berlin
Museum Choreography, Tartu Museum of Art
The Collective City: Artists as actors of urban change,
conference, Folkstheater, Frankfurt Oder
Experimental Cinema: Zorka Wollny, LAB1 Cinema, Eindhoven
Polenbegeisterungswelle, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin
Amsterdam Art Week (Impossible Opera) De Appel, Amsterdam
Vox Populi. The Unwelcome (concert), TRAFO, Szczecin
The Witching Hour (concert), ISCP, New York
awards: Minister of Culture and National Heritage RP project grant (Impossible Opera)
International Studio& Curatorial Program, New York – artist in residence
publication: Impossible Opera (dvd) Contemporary Lynx Magazine
2016
Unlearning the Given, Savvy Contemporary, Berlin
Kaddu Ndar, Waaw Gallery, Saint Louis (Senegal)
Sic! Four Seasons, Warszawa
Wunderbar Worterbuch Wedding, Wedding Gallery, Berlin
Narracje “Kingdom 60,8 m a.s.l.”, Gdańsk
One Caucasus, Tibilisi, Georgia
International Shakespeare Festival, Gdansk
Warsaw under Construction, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw
Koncert na Cricotekę, Tadeusz Kantor Museum, Kraków
Zakon/Order, Hilbert Raum Gallery, Berlin
Nowe Ilustracje/ New Ilustrations, Galeria Arsenał, Białystok
Dzikie Pola. Historia awangardowego Wrocławia,
Museum of Contemporary Art Wrocław
award: Impossible Opera – Stiftung Niedersachsen Stipendium
– Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg (DE)
publication: „Seven Minatures on El Hadji Sy” (record),
Center of Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warszawa
2015
CTM Festival, Berlin
What’s Plain Invites Pattern, Palermo
Satellite Affects and Other Lines of Flight, District Berlin
Midnigight Show, BWA Design, Wrocław
Zakon/Order, Theutonic Castle, OKSiR Świecie
Transgresje – Art in Public Space, Torun
Endospores, Bunkier Sztuki, Kraków
Współprace/Collaborations (solo show), Galeria Manhattan, Łódź
publication: „The Greatest Hits” (tape), Super, Łódź
publication: „Resonance Assembly. Mix” (record), Altanowa Press, Lublin
publication: „Zakon/Order” (cd) Ośrodek Kultury i Rekreacji w Świeciu
2014
Foreignness of Sound, Instytut of Contemporary Art, London
Jazz and Experimental Music from Poland, Istanbul
600 Steps (dance project), Warsaw – Istanbul
FF – Temporary Authonomus Zone – Studio Theatre, Warsaw
Collaborations (solo show) Platan Gallery, Polish Institute, Budapest
Body/Mind International Dance Festival, Warsaw
Festiwal WarSoVie, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
New Horizons – International Film Festival, Wroclaw
Manifestacje romantyczne, BWA Nowy Sacz
W stronę instytucji krytycznej/Towards Critical Institution,
Galeria Arsenał, Poznań
Grassowanie, Galeria Miejska, Gdansk
Stendhal Syndrome, Zona Sztuki Aktualnej, Szczecin
award: District Berlin studio grant 12.2013 – 06.2014
publication:„Resonance Assembly. Composition for Factory”
(cd) District, Berlin
2013
Re.act.feminism – a performing archive, Akademie der Künste, Berlin
No Woman No Art Festiwal, Poznan
Dźwiękowiska CSW Łażnia, Gdansk
International Shakespeare Festival, Gdansk
Dzień jest za krótki/A Day is not Enough, Contemporary Museum Wrocław, BWA Jelenia Góra, Galeria Arsenał Poznan
Wolny Strzelec/Freelancer, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
2012
Ophelias. Iconography of Madness (solo project), Muzeum Sztuki, Lodz
The Museum Theatre (solo project), Abteiberg Museum, Moenchengladbach
usstellung Cage 100: Opening Spaces for Action, Galerie für Zeitgenössische
Kunst Leipzig
Czarna seria/Black series (solo show), Zona Sztuki Aktualnej, Szczecin
Relokacje, Bydgoszcz
Macierzyństwo/Maternity, Warsztaty Kultury, Lublin
Mixer Festival, Belgrade
Follow the White Rabbit, Dortmunder Kunstverein
Medialny stan wyjątkowy, National Museum, Szczecin
award: Polish National Centre for Culture project grant
publication: Zorka Wollny „The Museum Theater”, Abteiberg Museum, Moenchengladbach
2011
International Festival of Contemporary Music – Warsaw Autumn (solo project: Oratorio in collaboration with Zachęta National Gallery of Art ) Warsaw
Dialogues With Polish Art- Zorka Wollny, Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh
Interpunctie, Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee
Alternativa International Contemporary Visual Art Festival, Wyspa Institute of Art, Gdansk
Politisticoi Camping -Theatre Festival, Heraklion
Blackbox Rolling Residency, Bazel
You are here, Turner Contemporary, Margate
Solidarność Camp, Gdańsk (Wyspa Institute of Art), Brussels (Royal Flemish Theatre), Madrid (Matadero)
Young Polish Artists on Tour, Madryt (Espacio Trapezio), Berlin (Wedding)
For Kids and Adults, BWA Wrocław oraz Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade,
Dyfuzje współczesności, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
Inspiracje Festival, 13 Muz Gallery, Szczecin
Efekt pasażu, Otwarta Pracownia, Krakow
award: Atelierstipendium der Stadt Moenchengladbach 09.2011 – 02.2012
2010
Postmonument Sculpture Biennale, Carrara
Nepotists, oportunists, freaks, friends and strangers intersecting in a grey zone, Z33, Hasselt
East goes East, Outpost Gallery, Norwich
Music from the White Cube: episode 1, Sierra Meteo, Edinburgh
Słopiewnie (solo project), Jelenia Gora
Summer solstice (solo project) with Magdalena Przybysz (choreographer), Malta International Theatre Festival, Poznan
Follow the White Rabbit, Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow
Focus Łodź Biennale, Lodz
Body in the libary, Design Gallery, Wroclaw
Spoken movies, Wro Art Center, Platan Gallery Budapest
2009
Six Silhouettes…(solo project), Museum of Art, Łodz
Take a look at me now, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich
The ever mass land, Nadine Studios, Brussels
The friends of divided mind, Royal College of Art, London
Points d’Impact, Mottatom, Geneve
Spojrzenia, Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
Piekło rzeczy/ Hell of things, Kronika Gallery, Bytom
International Guerilla Video Festival, Dublin
Void Academy of Visual Arts, Vienna
award: Minister of Culture RP grant 2008/2009
Nomination for the Zacheta and Deutsche Bank Award for the best Polish emerging artist.
2008
Poland Street Underground, London
Flee the frame (solo show) Starter gallery, Poznan
Museum (solo show), CSW Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
Moja matka nie jest boska, Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow
Establishment’, CSW Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
5TM The Young Triennial, Centre of Polish Sculpture, Oronsko
Award from Minister of Culture and National Heritage, 8th Geppert Competition
2007
Open Studio Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella
In Loco, private place, Florence
Points d’Impact, Mottatom, Geneve
Lighthouse Ankara, Ankara – City space
Malarstwo – prad zmienny, BWA, Wroclaw
Mechaniczna Pomarancza/Clockwork orange, Sektor I, Katowice
Tralogo Festival, Teatro Franco Paverti, Milan
We like it a lot!, Nettie Horn Gallery, London
Wideokonotacje/Videokonnotationen, Krakauen-house, Nurnberg
LadyFest, Klub NRD, Torun
Nieproduktywnosc, Dla Gallery, Torun
award: Italian Ministry of Culture scholarship
Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto – residence
2006
Museum (solo project), National Museum, Krakow
Imhibition – panel prac, National Museum, Krakow
Museum as a luminous object of desire, Museum of Art, Lodz
Models for a Fictional Academy (with fundation 36,6), HUFA, Budapest
Obrazy jak malowane, Bielska Gallery, BWA 2006
Architektura intymna, architektura porzucona, Kronika Gallery, Bytom
Wiedzma Ple ple, Dla Gallery, Torun
Jezyki obce, BWA Wroclaw
2005
Sabanci (solo show) Fait Gallery, Krakow
SFX publicznosc, Kunstverein Muenster
Roaming VILLES ANCIENNES – ART NOUVEAU, Quebec
award: Minister of Culture RP grant, 2004/2005
Socrates Erasmus scholarship, Sabanci Universitesi, Istanbul
2004
Concert for High Heels (solo project), Jagiellonian University, Krakow
I live in Ikea (solo project) Ikea Krakow
The workshop of thinking (with fundation 36.6), The fourth World Social Forum, Mumbai
Eastern Lights, Motorenhalle, Drezden
Nowa Huta, Kunstverein, Muenster
The grey zone, Polish Institut Budapest
Ladnie o ladnym, Krakow Podgorze
Domowa atmosfera, Krakow
BHP, Instytut Sztuki Wyspa, Gdansk
Dialog Loci (with fundation 36.6), Kostrzyn nad Odra
SFX(with fundation 36.6) – prolog Prószków, Proszkow