A jury composed of Anda Rottenberg (chairperson), Prof. Andrzej Bednarczyk, Edyta Kurpiel-Placek, Maria Anna Potocka and Andrzej Starmach selected the winners of the first edition of the OKNOPLAST FOR ART international competition for artists. The winners were selected from among 200 entries. In addition to the grand prize of 8,000 euro, two prizes of 2,000 euro each were awarded. The winning works will be presented in an exhibition at MOCAK on 29 June 2023.
OKNOPLAST FOR ART is a competition organised by the OKNOPLAST Group and the MOCAK The Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. The competition task was to create a design for an artwork based on a window, using any technique. Artists could express themselves in any way they wished. The competition attracted great interest from artists from Poland, but also from Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Scandinavia, among others.
Winners
After two days of deliberations, during which the jury members reviewed the anonymised artwork designs, the winners were selected and additional distinctions were awarded.
MAIN AWARD
Jakub Słomkowski (1982) – painter, draughtsman, installation artist, musician. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (diploma in painting in the studio of Krzysztof Wachowiak in 2007). During 2004 to 2005, he studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Complutense University in Madrid.
Member of the ‘Nie z Tej Bajki’ Cultural Association, the Programme Council of the ArtWalk gallery, informal artistic groups Time New Roman and Free Bloop Group, organiser of the Kolacja na Hucie cyclical event (since 2007). He has participated in numerous individual and collective exhibitions in Poland and abroad.
SECOND PLACE
Andrzej Wełmiński (1952) – visual artist, theatre director and actor. His work includes drawing, painting, photography, objects and installations. His work combines visual art and theatre. During 1972 to 1992 an actor and member of the Cricot 2 Theatre. Creator of expressive characters in productions by Tadeusz Kantor.
Andrzej Wełmiński was born in Krakow. He studied at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. Associated with the Foksal Gallery (debut in 1970 as an Anonymous Artist) and the Krzysztofory Gallery. He has had a number of solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions in Poland and abroad.
THIRD PLACE
Mateusz Sak (2000) - third-year undergraduate student of interior design at the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of Arts in Poznań. Participant of numerous interdisciplinary university projects. He has also been involved in dance for 14 years. The artist’s extensive portfolio includes numerous achievements at national dance tournaments and works in the field of interior design, architecture and drawing.
DISTINCTIONS
- 1st distinction without financial award – Marta Hołderna
- 2nd distinction without financial award – Ada Jurczak-Łowkis
- 3rd distinction without financial award – Michał Iwański
- 4th distinction without financial award – Robert Kuta
- 5th distinction without financial award – Jerzy Kosałka
- 6th distinction without financial award – Drack Maeva
- 7th distinction without financial award – Klaudia Milačić
Each of the awarded artists treated the window in an individual manner. The winning projects are distinguished by their conceptual interpretation of the theme.
The presentation of the winning works, which the artists must complete within 30 days from receiving a window from OKNOPLAST, will take place on 29 June during the official opening of the exhibition at the MOCAK The Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. The exhibition will run until 17 September 2023.
All the works submitted in the competition were judged by a jury consisting of:
- Anda Rottenberg, chair of the jury, Polish art historian, critic, art curator and publicist;
- Prof. Andrzej Bednarczyk, Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, an artist who combines many art disciplines;
- Edyta Kurpiel-Placek, art collector, representative of the OKNOPLAST company, sponsor of the awards;
- Maria Anna Potocka, art critic and director of MOCAK The Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow;
- Andrzej Starmach, art dealer, art historian and collector.
