bratki
Dorota Jurczak

Addressing the wardrobe

Dazzling elegancies contrasted by a sense of ascetism. Interplay of gloom and serenity. A distinct concept of beauty rather than aesthetic convention: these traits have defined both the artist and her oeuvre ever since she first made herself visible.

For years, Dorota Jurczak has been creating an immensely analogue body of work devoid of digital characteristics. An output that is defined by a deep appreciation for texture, colour and the qualities of physical material. Combined with a fearless approach to expenses, this results in most immersive and tactile works of art. Jurczak’s understanding and consequent interpretation of crafted history has become the signature of her style, evoking a sense of timelessness and permanence. All executed with a confident scratch and little to no admission of a modern world.

An aesthetic lineage is curiously hard to trace. One can sense slightly folkloristic tendencies, possibly a European influence, however it is hard to pinpoint which places and times this would involve exactly.

A stark cosmos inhabited by slender, very erect figures, curiously devoid of interaction. A lack of negative space results in a claustrophile mood, with a sense of detachment, resenting the outside.

The technique in which she tells these stories is one of sumptuous fluidity, unhesitating and exuberant. The atmosphere exudes an aura of sombre elegance, blending an innate sense of sophistication with an unassuming, self-informed charm. This highly refined naivety is palpable in every aspect of the work, from the (floral) decor to the clothing, characterised by a whimsical yet delicate touch. It exudes a sense of purity and simplicity, yet there is a constant nuance of experience that underlies it. Together, these elements create an endearing and captivating environment, one that lingers in the mind and in the heart.

What sets her apart from her peers is the suspicion that she does not have any. Our last encounter had us sharing water on the beach. I have no idea where she is now.

Christian Flamm 2023

Dorota Jurczak, born 1978 in Warsaw, Poland. She lives and works in Palermo, Italy and Brussels, Belgium.
Her latest exhibitions include for instance PICPUS, at Saint-Martin Bookshop, Brussels, Belgium in 2022, Andante Remix, at Linseed Projects, Shanghai, China, in 2021, In Restless Dreams I Walk Alone, at Sommer Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2019, Złotousty, at Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf, Germany, in 2019, Bzzz, in Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, Norway, in 2018, <JOHANNA, at Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, Germany, in 2017. Dorota Jurczak is present in the collections of Mu.ZEE, Ostend, Belgium, UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles and Museum of Modern Art, New York.

All images: Useful Art Services