Izabella Gustowska (PL)

Izabella Gustowska was born in Poznań, Poland, where she lives and works. In 1972, she graduated from the State School of Fine Arts in Poznań (PWSSP). Since 1991, she holds the title of Full Professor of the School. She currently teaches at her alma mater, running the Multimedial Activity Studio at the Intermedia Department, and at the School of Humanities and Journalism teaching graphics.

Gustowska, who is regarded as one of the most interesting and influential Polish video artists, works in diverse media including photography, painting, graphics, performance and multimedia installations, exploring in her work the issues of identity in relation to gender, time and individual emotions.

I think it fascinates me. That possibility, as well as surveillance, fascinates me, and appearance on Facebook, and also that it's possible to be entangled so much, that a human being can loose their identity, because of existing in such different dimensions... that can lose the awareness of which existence is the real one.

Gustowska’s works can be found in numerous collections, including the Contemporary Graphics Collection of the Edmonton Art Museum, the Albertina Graphic Collection of the Ludwig Foundation Museum of Modern Art in Vienna, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Lilja Graphic Art Collection in Mariefred, the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, the Center for Contemporary Art at Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw and the WRO Art Center in Wrocław. Her works have also been presented at the Venice Biennale and twice at the Biennale in Sao Paulo. As a curator, Gustowska has organized numerous exhibitions and artistic events.