“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989” in Stavanger Art Museum, Norway
28.09.2024 – 26.01.2025
Stavanger Art Museum MUST, Stavanger, Norway
curators: Vibece Salthe, Helga Nyman
The Plastic Body shows works by several Polish artists who challenged traditional conceptions of sculpture in the 1960s and ’70s. At a time when political and patriarchal structures limited the lives of people in Poland, many artists created very radical and political works. Using experimental techniques and new materials that were often sourced from everyday life, they broke away from conventional ideas about the human body. They explored the body as a plastic material, a place for resistance, transformation and freedom.
The exhibition brings together artists who in various ways expanded and renewed the concept of sculpture based on the human body as a motif and theme. The vulnerable, ephemeral, and fragmented body emerges in their works, but so also desire and sensuality. The use of new materials was partly motivated by economic limitations. Textiles, plant seeds, and new plastic materials such as polyester and resin were affordable alternatives to stone and bronze. At the same time, these materials opened up new possibilities for conveying personal experiences and artistic visions that were not only radical in their time but remain highly relevant today.
The exhibition includes works by: Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017), Wanda Czełkowska (1930-2021), Barbara Falender (b. 1947), Zofia Kulik, (b. 1947), Teresa Murak (b. 1949), Ewa Pachucka (1936-2020), Ewa Partum (b. 1945), Maria Pinińska-Bereś (1931-1999), Alina Szapocznikow (1926-1973)
https://www.stavangerkunstmuseum.no/en/events/den-plastiske-kroppen/
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Stream” (1979) and works by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alina Szapocznikow, Teresa Murak. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “S-core VIII (with Whip II)” (1996), “S-core IX (with Huge Tongue)” (1996), “Stream” (1979), “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997) and works by Wanda Czełkowska, Barbara Falender, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Teresa Murak. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “S-core VIII (with Whip II)” (1996), “S-core IX (with Huge Tongue)” (1996), “Stream” (1979) and works by Wanda Czełkowska, Barbara Falender. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “S-core VIII (with Whip II)” (1996), “S-core IX (with Huge Tongue)” (1996), “Stream” (1979), “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997) and works by Wanda Czełkowska, Barbara Falender, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Teresa Murak. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Stream” (1979). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Stream” (1979). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Stream” (1979). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “S-core VIII (with Whip II)” (1996), “S-core IX (with Huge Tongue)” (1996) and work by Wanda Czełkowska. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “S-core VIII (with Whip II)” (1996), “S-core IX (with Huge Tongue)” (1996). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), works by Barbara Falender. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968) and work by Alina Szapocznikow “Sculpture-lamp X” (ok. 1970). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), work by Alina Szapocznikow “Sculpture-lamp X” (ok. 1970). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968) and work by Alina Szapocznikow “Sculpture-lamp X” (ok. 1970). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968) and works by Wanda Czełkowska i Alina Szapocznikow. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “Table II – The Feast” (1968), “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995) and works by Wanda Czełkowska, Alina Szapocznikow, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Ewa Partum, Ewa Pachucka. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “Table II – The Feast” (1968) and works by Alina Szapocznikow. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “Table II – The Feast” (1968) i “Window with Collection” (1997), documentation of performance “Laundry II” (1981) and works by Alina Szapocznikow, Ewa Partum, Ewa Pachucka. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), documentation of Maria Pinińska-Bereś’ performance pt. “Laundry II” (1981). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997), documentation of performance “Laundry II” (1981) and work by Ewa Pachucka. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculpture “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997) and works by Barbara Falender. Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s sculptures “With a Rose in Teeth” (1970), “S-core VI (with Drop)” (1995), “Window with Collection” (1997), documentation of performance “Laundry II” (1981). Photo Oskar Hanusek
“The Plastic Body. Sculpture from Poland 1960-1989”, Stavanger Art Museum (2024/2025), works by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Zofia Kulik. Photo Oskar Hanusek
