Łódź Kaliska Łódź Kaliska

About artist

Born

Łódź Kaliska group established in 1979 by Marek Janiak, Jerzy Koba, Andrzej Kwietniewski, Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej Świetlik, and Andrzej Wielogórski. The young artists founded it in Darłowo, after they were banned from the V National Young Photographers Meeitngs. The group emerged under a cloud of scandal, as a neo-avant-garde formation aiming to study the photo-media-aspect of seeing and registering, originating from the tradition of conceptualism, chiefly through photography, experimental film and performance art. In 1980-81 the group changed their artistic program to something more Dadaistic happenings and a message of Surrealist anarchism, attacking and ridiculing the Polish neo-avant-garde and presenting the absurdities of living in People's Poland (under socialism). During this time, Kwietniewski and Janiak wrote a great many manifestos, among them was Janiak's manifesto on "Embarrasing Art" which became important text in the 1990s. From 1982 to 1988 the Łódź Kaliska group was part of the Kultura Zrzuty (Whip-In Culture) movement. Its artistic life was concentrated round independent galleries in Łódź, the most important being Strych Łodzi Kaliskiej (Łódź Kaliska's Attic). In the 1980s Łódź Kaliska had anticipated many trends from the subsequent decade as far as overstepping boundaries and scandalizing was concerned. From the late 1990s the style of Łódź Kaliska's photography continued to be grotesque, sarcastic, and never-ending fun was the goal of their artistic projects.  Today, Łódź Kaliska is formed by: Marek Janiak, Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej Świetlik and Andrzej Makary Wielogórski. Since 2007 Andrzej Kwietniewski has not been involved in the group’s activities. Jerzy Koba was its member only during the first years of its existence.

Works

Łódź Kaliska Łódź Kaliska

Sisters 10 years later

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Łódź Kaliska Łódź Kaliska

Freedom – Freiheit, nein, danke,

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