Jerzy Kosałka

About artist

Born
21.08.1955
Country
Poland

Born in Będzin, 1955; studied under Professor Zbigniew Karpiński at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, from which he graduated in 1981. As an assistant lecturer at the Wrocław State Academy of Fine Arts (1983–1987).
Whilst working at the University, he joined the editorial board of the student art magazine LUXUS ('Irregular Psychoactive Magazine'). After setting up the Legendarny LUXUS group he participated in most of its artistic performances.

In 1995 saw the staging of his debut solo exhibition 'Simply no Luxury'. In his artistic creations he uses different techniques and media.
He creates works of performance and installation art that very often reflect the character of their location. He uses public spaces as settings for his artistic creations.
He has also recently became interested again in classical painting.

His works show a large dose of humour, irony, and self-irony. He is the author of iconic works such as The Battle of Kłobuck, reproduced in a textbook for third grade primary school pupils (next to poems by Władysław Broniewski and Kamil Baczyński) and the monument Kosałce – Naród ridiculing the pedestals on which many self-proclaimed 'greats' of modern art would like to see themselves placed.

Some years ago he modified the Coca-Cola logo, adopting the distinctive lettering of the corporation to design his own signature CosalCa. The playful or even derisory tone of his statements and his deadpan humour are characteristic of this post-modern artist’s style.

In 2009, the artist won the Award of the Kristiana-Narbutt Robb Foundation and received four honorary mentions (from the periodicals Obieg, Format and Artluk and the President Hotel during the 39th Painting Biennale Bielska Jesień, 2009).

Works

Jerzy Kosałka

Window, from the cycle Very Good Paintings

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Jerzy Kosałka

Pillar, from the cycle Very Good Paintings

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Jerzy Kosałka

Star’s Sisters' installation from the cycle 'CosałCa'

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