OUSTANDING ART CRITICISM: JERZY STAJUDA PRIZE GOES TO "ANDRZEJ WRÓBLEWSKI. EXHIBITING"

We warmly congratulate our esteemed editors, the art historians Dr. Magdalena Ziółkowska and Wojciech Grzybała, on winning the prestigious Jerzy Stajuda Award for Art Criticism (2024)!

The two experts and co-founders of the Andrzej Wróblewski Foundation received the award for their comprehensive monograph, Andrzej Wróblewski. Exhibiting. The volume, published by Hatje Cantz in cooperation with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, was honored for its in-depth scholarly examination of the oeuvre of the exceptional Polish artist. The Jerzy Stajuda Award is considered one of the most important honors for art criticism in Poland and underscores the enduring international relevance of Wróblewski's work.

Criticism as a Tool for Cultural Understanding

On the occasion of the ceremony on October 10th, the jury emphasized the essential role of this publication for research:

“Across the 780 pages of the publication, the book’s co-authors not only summarize the existing reception of Wróblewski but also establish important premises for further research into, and reinterpretation of, his work. The publication is thus critical in two ways. On the one hand, it offers deliberate and exploratory readings of Wróblewski's works and exhibitions. On the other hand, it presents criticism and the closely related curatorial craft as tools for cultural understanding…”

The award has been presented since 1992 for critical activity in the field of art and is sponsored by the family of the painter and art critic Jerzy Stajuda, the Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, and the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts.

A Reassessment of Wróblewski’s Life and Work

The award reaffirms the central importance of this monograph. Andrzej Wróblewski. Exhibiting presents the work of the artist, who died in 1957 at the age of 29, in a new light. It illuminates Wróblewski’s life and his contribution to post-war art, with a focus on the context of exhibitions and curatorial practices. This well-founded reassessment of his work, which oscillated between abstraction and political engagement, makes a significant contribution to the international rediscovery of his art.

The honor highlights Hatje Cantz's long-standing engagement with the work of Andrzej Wróblewski. Andrzej Wróblewski. Exhibiting is already the third monograph that the Andrzej Wróblewski Foundation has realized with our publishing house during a collaboration lasting more than ten years. Andrzej Wróblewski. Waiting Room (2020) and Andrzej Wróblewski. Avoiding Intermediary States (2014) were also edited by Dr. Magdalena Ziółkowska and Wojciech Grzybała and published by us.


Photo Copyright: Przemek Blechman