She obtained a diploma in painting in 1989 at Faculty of Fine Arts of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. During her studies, she was associated with Naprzód, Yach-Film artistic groups. There, she dealt with art of video film and created happenings. In years 1993-2003 she created Bydgoszcz “Water Tower”, being a member of association of the same name. In her portfolio there are exhibitions in various art institutions, including those at Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw, Arsenal Gallery in Białystok, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk. She took part in study stays in Finland, France, Italy, and South Korea. Her works are in collections of institutions such as Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Praga Museum of Warsaw in Warsaw, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw, and Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu in Toruń. She lives and works in Warsaw.
“We Are Coming for You”, 2019
video, 2’09’’
Dorota Podlaska deals primarily with figurative painting, but also with object, installation, actions and interventions in public space. She is an author of photographic documentation and a book designer. At the centre of her interest there is an individual and its emotions. Her work is characterised by narrative. The artist often refers to personal experiences. “We Are Coming for You” is a series of paintings made using oil technique on canvas. They have been transferred to digital media and presented in the form of animations. The theme of the cycle is growing wave of social unrest, riots, clashes between demonstrators and the police, scenes of street fights that are widely presented in violence-sensitive media. Messages about conflicts accompany us at every step, they become our everyday life. For a growing number of people, this is not only media noise, but an increasingly visible and noticeable threat to everyday life. At the root of the protests there are powerful feelings – anger, hatred, contempt. They are original, powerful forces. Anger expressed jointly, the fight for a common cause, the intensity of bodily involvement and emotions create social bonds. Although they fight for different, often contradictory ideas, rebels are always confident that they are right. Hatred speech goes into deeds, the world seems to master irrational madness. The great things of this world are becoming private. Paintings from “We Are Coming for You” series are a commentary on the contemporary political situation in the world, an expression of general unrest and an attempt to tame personal fear.
