My Heart Has Always Been a Hidden Bomb
The exhibition features works by artists active in the 20th and 21st centuries, including Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alina Szapocznikow, Katarzyna Kozyra, Izabella Gustowska, Tadeusz Kantor, Jerzy Nowosielski, Wojciech Fangor, and Marc Chagall. It brings together painting, sculpture, graphic art, objects, light boxes, and photography. Figurative and abstract approaches intersect, creating a dialogue across different artistic languages and generations. Professor Marta Smolińska, an art historian and curator who works with leading European art institutions, curated the exhibition and Raman Tratsiuk designed the gallery space.
Photo: Tomek Koszewnik
Photo: Tomek Koszewnik
Piotr Voelkel during the exhibition opening. | Photo: Jaga Kraupe
Photo: Tomek Koszewnik
Marta Smolińska during the exhibition opening. | Photo: Jaga Kraupe
The exhibition’s title comes from the novel Magiczna rana (Magical Wound) by Polish writer and playwright Dorota Masłowska. It refers to the powerful emotions and tension present in the artworks, from passion to a sense of danger. When asked about her book’s main theme, the author explains:
"It is a story about a great Tower of Babel of concepts, languages, and attitudes. About our inability to keep up with the pace of change, with the fact that reality is developing in unexpected directions, and how little we understand it anymore."
This idea inspired the exhibition’s curatorial concept. The image of the heart as a hidden bomb, ready to explode at any moment, is full of intensity and romanticism. It stands as a metaphor for the emotions found in the artworks.
About the gallery
Artis Gallery is located in the foyer of Aula Artis, at ul. gen. T. Kutrzeby 10 in Poznań. The current exhibition runs until the end of January 2026.
The gallery is supported by the Voelkel Foundation, which for many years has emphasized the role of art as a core element of its work. The foundation’s mission goes beyond exhibiting artworks—it aims to inspire, encourage reflection and dialogue, and support creative activity.