On July 10, the exhibition "That's Where the Light Comes In: The Art of Stefan Gierowski (1925-2022)" opened at the Art Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Stefan Gierowski was one of the most prominent abstract artists in post-war Europe. This exhibition is the first retrospective of the artist's work in China since his death in 2022. 27 works are on display, offering new perspectives on the contemporary viewing of Gierowski's art through the exploration of art history and contemporary issues, as well as the influence of Chinese philosophy.
The title of the exhibition, "That's Where the Light Comes In," is taken from the song "Anthem" by singer Leonard Cohen. The exhibition explores the multiple meanings of "light" in Gerofsky's art-from light in a scientific sense, to light in a spiritual sense, to light as a necessary component of painting-in response to Gerofsky's statement that "light creates all things". Light gives birth to all things".
At the opening ceremony, Chinese and foreign guests gathered together. Guest representatives from the Polish Embassy side were: Yao Weitao, Director of the Political Office of the Polish Embassy in China, Cai Mengling, Director of the Polish Cultural Center, and Wu Daiya, Deputy Director of the Polish Cultural Center; guest representatives from the Stefan Jerowski Foundation were: Hubert Jerowski, Jerowski's son, Natalia Jerowska, Jerowski's granddaughter, and Victoria Krukowkska, a friend of the Jerowski family. Card; Chinese guest representatives include: Tan Ping, former vice president of the China Academy of Art, former vice president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Jin Rilong, professor of the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and dean of the Nanhai Academy of Fine Arts of the Haikou School of Economics; Jin Jun, curator of the Museum of Art of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and Wang Chunchen, deputy director of the Museum of Art of the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Teng Fei, head of the Jewelry Program of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and instructor of the jewelry studio; Wang Chunjie, former curator of the Himalayan Museum of Art; and Wang Chunjie, Li Feng, director of Minsheng Art Museum, Zhang Hongmei, director of Jilin Art Institute Art Museum, Wang Xinyou, director of Bias Gallery, as well as Philip Dodd, curator of the exhibition, and Erika Kostamanay, associate curator. Gao Gao, Deputy Director of the Art Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, acted as moderator.
波兰驻华大使馆政治处主任姚伟涛致辞
Yao Weitao, Director of the Political Office of the Polish Embassy in China, said in his speech that it is of great significance for the cultural exchanges and relations between Poland and China to be able to display the works of Mr. Stefan Jerowski, the Polish master of abstraction, in the Museum of Art of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. At the same time, it is very helpful and influential to the artistic dialog between two countries and two peoples.
波兰文化中心主任蔡梦灵致辞
Cai Mengling, Director of the Polish Cultural Center, said that Stefan Jerowski was one of the most important Polish abstract artists in the 20th century, and that the retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts of the Central Academy of Fine Arts is intended to introduce to the Chinese audience a comprehensive overview of Stefan Jerowski's works during his creative period, as well as his contributions to the world's culture of abstractionism. It is believed that this exhibition will enhance the cultural exchange and understanding between the Chinese and Polish peoples.
斯特凡·杰罗夫斯基基金会代表娜塔莉亚·杰罗夫斯卡致辞
In her speech, the representative of the Stefan Jerovski Foundation, Natalia Jerovska, thanked the various organizations that have provided great support for the exhibition. She hoped that the audience would be able to further understand how much her grandfather really loved Chinese history and philosophy, which even profoundly influenced Stefan Jerovski's personal thinking and artistic creation. It is as if the paths of the past have finally crossed, as China has always been a place that has always been close to Stefan Jarowski's heart.
Speech by Philip Dodd, curator of the exhibition
Philip Dodd, the curator of the exhibition, talked about the origins of the exhibition. He said that Jarowsky has benefited a lot from Chinese culture and philosophy, just like Picasso, who for many years lamented the paintings of Qi Baishi. Regardless of where they come from in the world and what cultural background they come from, people's roots are deeply connected to each other. Through this exhibition, he wanted to reveal in a profound way that all people will inevitably move towards each other. This is the ultimate meaning of this exhibition.
Speech by Jin Jun, Curator of CAFA Art Museum
Jin Jun, director of the Art Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said that the title of the exhibition is "That's where light comes in". Light has multiple meanings for Jerowski's art. His works form a kind of light shaping that penetrates time and reality, and also brings the audience a world full of color, form and thinking. Light is the theme element in Jerowski's works. Through the subtle contrast between light and dark and the change of transparency, the light and shadow effects of nature are simulated in his paintings. This effect also makes the picture have a certain rhythm of life.
Jerowski is one of the most outstanding abstract artists in Europe after World War II. This retrospective exhibition is a tribute to his artistic achievements and an important event of cultural exchange between China and Poland. In this era of globalization, art plays an irreplaceable role as a way of communication across languages. From the light of reality to the light of art, I believe that Jerowski's works and unique spiritual appeal can make audiences from different backgrounds find resonance in them.
The Deputy Curator Gao Gao serves as the host
Group Photo of the guests
The influence of Chinese culture, particularly the philosophy of Lao Tzu, on Gerofsky's work, which extends to the exploration of spirituality and emptiness and suggests that Chinese culture has been largely involved in the shaping of modern Western thought; and the artist's great explorations of the relationship between light and color through abstract art, which demonstrates the depth and creativity with which art can provide a response to scientific thought and development. response to scientific thought and development.
The exhibition runs until September 1st.
《CCCLXXXIX》，1977年 Oil on canvas 109 × 109 cm Photo courtesy of the Stefan Jarowski Foundation
《CCCXCVIII》 1977 Oil on canvas 119 × 100cm Photo courtesy of the Stefan Jarowski Foundation
《CLXVII》 1962 Oil on canvas 60 × 50cm Photo courtesy of the Stefan Jarowski Foundation
《CDLIX》 1981 Oil on canvas 100 × 100cm Photo courtesy of the Stefan Jarowski Foundation
关于艺术家
1990 年，Stefan Gierowski 在华沙的工作室，照片由 Erazm Ciołek拍摄
Born in Poland, Stefan Gierowski (1925-2022) is regarded as one of the most prominent abstract artists in post-World War II Europe, and his work has been exhibited widely around the world.
In 1959, he participated in the Biennale des Jeunes Artistes de Paris, followed by exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1961, the Venice Biennale in 1968, and the Museo de Arte Moderna in Mexico in 1975. In addition, Jerowski's work has been exhibited in Belgium, Venezuela, Denmark, Germany, Japan (Tokyo) and Brazil (São Paulo). In his native Poland, Jerowski is an influential teacher and has had a retrospective exhibition at the National Gallery in Warsaw. His work is in the collections of several museums in Poland and around the world, including the Pompidou Center.
关于策展人
A former director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, Philip Dodd has traveled extensively throughout China and Europe over the past two decades. More recently, he has co-curated the Guangzhou Triennial and the Chengdu Biennale. Dodd has curated major solo exhibitions for artists such as Yoko Ono, Sean Scully and Xiao Qin in cities such as London, Beijing, Singapore and Moscow. In addition, he has worked as an executive producer on films with Steve McQueen, Damien Hirst and Edward Said, and has authored several monographs and art books. At the Art Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Dodd has curated several exhibitions, the most recent of which featured British artist Maggi Hambling.
That's How the Light Gets In: The Art of Stefan Gierowski (1925-2022)
Exhibition Period: July 10 - September 1, 2024
Exhibition Venue: CAFA Art Museum
Editor-in-Chief / He Yisha
Editor / Du Yinzhu
Photo / He Yifei
