Łukasz Gierlak

Close_ups, charcoal on paper

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I am interested in the the multi-layered nature aspect of contemporary iconosphere, and primarily the stories of people who function within the ubiquitous and often multicultural world of images. Understanding visual messages by a contemporary person is rich in gaps, omissions, and oversights, which together create something which I would call a „the lossy perception”. I notice that sometimes this peculiar perception may act as a defense mechanism against „unwanted images”. On the other hand I notice that taming them creates a visual awareness. The weight of the images reaching our eyes can make us look goggle-eyed, blind our eyes, cut up the most delicate tissue, but also strengthen like tempered glass. The eye is our double-edged sword, which is like an open wound, and at other times like a sharp tool that cuts through reality.

Łukasz Gierlak was born in 1985 in Poland. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław in 2013. He completed his MA diploma in the Lithography Studio under the supervision of Professor Przemysław Frąckiewicz. During his studies he also attended the Graphic Design Studio led by Professor Jan Jaromir Aleksiun and completed an annex in drawing under the supervision of Professor Łukasz Huculak. He also worked in the studios of Professor Eugeniusz Get-Stankiewicz and Professor Wojciech Lupa. His diploma project was selected for the Best Diplomas of the Academy of Fine Arts 2013 competition in Gdańsk, where it received the Award of the President of the City of Gdańsk

In 2019 he received his PhD at the Faculty of Painting and Drawing of the University of the Arts Poznań under the supervision of Professor Jarosław Kozłowski. During his doctoral studies he also attended the studios of Professor Jerzy Hejnowicz and Dr hab. Ewa Kulesza. At that time he collaborated with Professor Dominik Lejman on the realization of a luminescent mural, acting as the executor of the artist’s project.

In his artistic practice he works with painting and drawing, and also creates murals and graphic design projects, including concepts for large-scale wall paintings as well as catalogue and art publication designs.

Award and distinction

2021 Special Award , International Andriolli Drawing Competition, Nałęczów, Poland
2018 3rd prize, International Painting Competition of the Foundation - TRZY MOSTY, Warszawa, Poland
2017 Main Prize - 1st Young Pomerania Biennale - POTOK SZTUKI, Sopot, Poland
2015 Ismet Mujezinovic Award, International Biennale Festival of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015 Diploma for Drawing, International Biennale Festival of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015 Young Artist Prize, XXVII Exhibition Explores the Art of Copper, Legnica, Poland
2015 Silver Spur, XXVII Exhibition Explores the Art of Copper, Legnica, Poland
2015 Honourable Mention, 5th International Andriolli Drawing Competition, Nałęczów, Poland
2015 Triennial Prize, 4th Bangkok Triennale International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand
2014 Honourable Mention, II International Art Competition – Modern Landscape, Częstochowa, Poland
2014 Golden Osten Award, 42nd World Gallery of Drawing, Skopje, Macedonia
2014 Honourable Mention, VIII Triennale of Contemporary Drawing, Lubaczów, Poland
2014 Award of the President of Toruń, VI National Exhibition of Drawing, Wozownia, Toruń, Poland
2014 Nomination, STRABAG Artaward International, Vienna, Austria
2014 Second Prize, Graphics Year 2013, Kraków, Poland
2014 Grand Prix, International Student Drawing Triennial, Katowice, Poland
2013 Honour for Diploma, Faculty of Graphic and Media Art, Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław
2013 Second Prize, European Festival Pastels – VI International Biennial Pastel, Nowy Sącz, Poland
2013 Award of the President of Gdańsk, Best Diplomas of Polish Academies of Fine Arts 2013
2013 Honourable Mention, "Newfound", Dominican Gallery, Wrocław
2012 Honourable Mention, V International Drawing Competition, Wrocław
2011 Honourable Mention, VI International Biennial of Drawing, Melbourne, Australia
2011 Second Prize, "Creative Wrocław", painting competition, Dominican Gallery, Wrocław

Individual exhibition

2022 Oversight Łącznik Gallery, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Wrocław, Poland
2021 Over(look)ing Stara Papiernia Art Center, Jelenia Góra, Poland
2021 Visual Acuity, Water Tower, Kalisz, Poland
2021 Incised Wounds, Wozownia Art Gallery, Toruń, Poland
2019 Oversight – negative form of seeing, Piekary Gallery, Poznań
2017 Voyeur, Szewska Gallery, Poznań
2017 Story of one blink, Rotunda Gallery, Poznań
2016 The journeys of the eye, multidisciplinary exhibition, Castle on the Water, Wojnowice
2015 Reconstruction of portrait, drawing exhibition, Art Gallery, Legnica, Poland
2014 Outside of the Body, drawing exhibition, Gallery Łącznik, Wrocław
2014 Whispers, murmurings, exhibition of paintings and drawings, Academy of Music, Wrocław, Poland
2013 Face agnosia, diploma exhibition, Gallery Neon, Wrocław, Poland
2011 En-face, drawing exhibition, Gallery Academia Nova, Pl. Solny, Wrocław, Poland
2010 Drawing exhibition, Gallery Łącznik, Institute of Informatics, University of Wrocław, Poland
2010 Drawing exhibition, Gallery GrenzGanger, Görlitz, Germany
2009 Retrospective, drawing exhibition, foyer City Theatre, Jawor

Group exhibition

2018 SURVIVAL/capital, an overview of contemporary art, Wallenberg-Pachalych Palace, Wrocław
2017 Watercolor XXL, group exhibition, Gallery A, Belgrade
2016 Rectangle trauma, group exhibition, Wrocław/Poznań, Gallery Atrium, UAP Poznań
2016 Jamais vu, group exhibition Wrocław/Poznań, Galeria za Szybą, ASP Wrocław
2016 FLOW – Young Polish Contemporary Art, Art Main Station, Wrocław
2016 I Pomeranian Young Art Biennale – POTOK SZTUKI, Sopot
2016 XXL, collective exhibition of large-format drawings, Pilsen, Czech Republic
2016 SURVIVAL / workshop, overview of contemporary art, FAT, Wrocław
2016 Konfrontacje sztuki, competition exhibition, Galeria Test, Warsaw
2016 RYTUAŁ 2016 – SUBSTYTUTY, competition exhibition, Zaklęte Rewiry, Wrocław
2016 4th International Biennial of Watercolor, Belgrade, Serbia
2016 Competition exhibition, Shenzhen International Watercolor Biennial, Shenzhen, China
2015 16th INTERBIFEP – International Biennial of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015 Silver Spur Award – Young Artist Award, XXVII Exhibition of Fine Arts of the Copper Basin, Legnica
2015 SURVIVAL / Prohibited Acts, overview of contemporary art, Wrocław
2015 Triennial Prize – 4th Bangkok Triennale International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Bangkok
2015 Fresh blood oxygenates grandfather, group exhibition of paintings, Polish Theatre, Wrocław
2014 II International Art Competition – Contemporary Landscape, Częstochowa
2014 Promotions 2014 – exhibition of competition winners, Legnica
2014 Competition exhibition, IX International Biennial of Drawing, Pilsen
2014 Competition exhibition, VIII International Biennial of Miniatures, Częstochowa
2014 42nd World Gallery of Drawing, Skopje
2014 Competition exhibition, VIII Triennial of Contemporary Drawing, Lubaczów
2014 Competition exhibition, 5th National Contest M. Michalik, Częstochowa
2014 Images of Time, collective exhibition, Piast Castle, Jawor
2014 VI National Exhibition of Drawing – Draw YES AND YES, Wozownia Art Gallery, Toruń
2014 STRABAG Artaward International Exhibition, Vienna, Austria
2014 Graphics Year 2013, Kraków
2014 International Student Drawing Triennial, Katowice
2013 8th International Triennial of Small Graphic Forms, Vilnius, Lithuania
2013 INTERBIFEP – International Biennial of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2013 European Festival Pastels – VI International Biennial Pastel, Nowy Sącz, Poland
2013 Fresh Blood, exhibition of painting competition winners, Socato Gallery, Wrocław
2013 Best Diplomas 2013, Gdańsk
2013 Newly Discovered, competition exhibition, Dominican Gallery, Wrocław
2012 V International Drawing Competition
2012 Scholarship exhibition of the Mayor of Wrocław, Town Hall, Wrocław
2012 National Drawing Competition – S. Żechowski, Portraits befriended, Miechów
2012 VII International Biennial of Miniatures, Częstochowa
2012 VII International Biennial of Drawing, Pilsen, Czech Republic
2012 40th World Gallery of Drawing, Skopje
2012 Collective exhibition of students’ works, Radisson Hotel, Wrocław
2012 V National Exhibition of Drawing, Wozownia Art Gallery, Toruń
2011 Painting competition exhibition ZADRA, Warsaw
2011 VI International Biennial of Drawing, Melbourne, Australia
2011 Creative Wrocław, painting competition exhibition, Dominican Gallery, Wrocław
2011 International Triennial of Graphic Arts T. Kulisiewicz, Royal Castle, Warsaw
2011 VII Triennial of Polish Contemporary Drawing, Lubaczów
2011 V International Biennial of Pastel, Nowy Sącz
2010 VII International Biennial of Drawing, Pilsen, Czech Republic
2009 IV International Drawing Competition, Town Hall, Wrocław
2009 Borders Drawing, City Gallery, Rzeszów