“Artistic work is work”—this point has been emphasized by the artistic community for years, yet it is only in recent years that it has become possible to successfully negotiate forms of cooperation between artists and institutions as well as other actors in the field of art. Thanks to the efforts of the Civic Forum for Contemporary Art, standards of remuneration for artists in Poland were developed in 2025. This constitutes the first systemic attempt to introduce regulations that are ultimately intended to apply across all cultural institutions, galleries, and museums in the country.
The “Thank you for my work” exhibition addresses the conceptualization of artistic labor, highlighting both its specificity and the aspects that link creative professionals with representatives of other occupational groups. The point of departure is formed by works associated with the tradition of institutional critique (Andrea Fraser, Hubert Czerepok, Laura Pawela), through which the condition of artists became a significant topic in art discourse in the final decades of the 20th century. By examining themes related to artistic labor in the practices of a younger generation of artists (including Ala Savashevich, Katarzyna Wójcicka, Iza Tarasewicz, and Tomek Kręcicki), the exhibition can be read as a space for reflection on issues such as unregulated working hours, compulsive thinking about work, overwork, attempts to reconcile paid employment with artistic practice, and the search for balance between professional and private life.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a Polish–English catalogue.
Artists: Olaf Brzeski, Hubert Czerepok, Kinga Dobosz, Monika Drożyńska, Andrea Fraser, Anna Ihle, Kornel Janczy, Martyna Kielesińska, Wiktoria Kieniksman, Tomasz Kręcicki, Florian Meisenberg, Justyna Mędrala, Laura Pawela, Patryk Różycki, Ala Savashevich, Iza Tarasewicz, Zbigniew Warpechowski, Katarzyna Wójcicka
