STÄRKE UND SCHÖNHEIT. STRENGTH AND BEAUTY / Polish Institute in Berlin

Disappearing portraits of Jewish women on view at the Polish Institute in Berlin at the exhibition by Paweł Kowalewski. A new exhibition of works from the “Strength and Beauty” series opens on July 9.

In 2015, Paweł Kowalewski created a series of disappearing paintings. “Strength and Beauty. “A very subjective history of Polish mothers” are large-format portraits of women of Jewish origin living during World War II, including a portrait of the artist’s mother. The works were painted with a special paint that will fade completely over time, turning the portraits into abstract shadows.

It is a commentary on the human tendency to forget, disrespect or even contempt for history, which the artist perceives as extremely dangerous. The project is a tribute to young women who lived during the war and the heyday of the two largest totalitarian regimes. The works are accompanied by extremely moving stories of the portrayed heroines.

The exhibition was presented, among others, at The Artist’s House gallery in Tel Aviv, the Museum of Photography in Krakow and the NS-Dokumentationszentrum in Munich. With each exhibition, the works fade more and more and disappear forever.

📌 The opening of the exhibition will take place on July 9, 2024 from 7 p.m. The exhibition will last until August 30, 2024. Admission is free. This is not to be missed!