Krzysztof Dzienkiewicz

Master of Arts, born on August 11, 1951, in Warsaw, died on August 17, 2012, as a result of an unfortunate accident.

He studied at the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He graduated with honors in 1976, under the supervision of Professor Tadeusz Dominik, specializing in ceramics.

The artist saw himself equally as a painter, sculptor, ceramist, and designer. His painting is characterized by organic abstraction in oil techniques. For him, painting was an attempt to capture the mood, gesture, and emotions associated with the act of painting. In ceramics, he combined his sculptural passion with painting. In design, he focused on the creation of transformable combinatory systems.

For many years, he conducted research on shapes, concerning both the psychology of spatial form perception and ways of their deformation. He created dozens of single-element systems, in which identical blocks were arranged in various ways to produce interesting structures with diverse plastic expression. The result of these explorations are collections of spatial forms, mostly made from concrete, ceramic material, or wood. These works can function both as autonomous sculptures and functional objects, such as blocks or elements of small architecture, walls, or fences.

Participation in Exhibitions, Outdoor Events, and Projects
He presented his works at numerous exhibitions between 1977 and 2011, including:

2001 – Solo exhibition at the Gallery of the Artist’s House in Warsaw
2005 – “The Meaning of Abstraction” – Exhibition of Krzysztof Dzienkiewicz and Zbigniew Gręziak at Art Office Gallery in Warsaw
2008 – “New Faces of Ceramics” – Group exhibition organized by the Polish Ceramic Society and the Youth Culture Center in Otwock
2009 – Exhibition of artists from the Cultural Promotion Center Praga Południe
2009 – Exhibition of the informal group of Polish artists Via Varsovia at the Polish Cultural Center in Vilnius [Vilniaus lenku kulturos namai], guest participation
2011 – Exhibition of the informal group of Polish artists Via Varsovia at the Gallery of the Artist’s House in Warsaw, guest participation
He frequently participated in ceramic outdoor workshops organized by ZPAP in Suchedniów. He was a member of the distinguished group of artists gathered around the Delfiny Gallery in Warsaw’s Powiśle district.

Achievements – Major Accomplishments, Awards
In 1977, he won first place in the National Competition for the design of small concrete architectural objects, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Art, CEBET, and ZPAP.

Between 1976 and 1978, he designed sculptures, playgrounds, and small architecture in the Spatial Planning Workshop for Housing Estates (Housing Cooperative “Osiedle Młodych” in Warsaw). From 1979 to 1980, he led a team of artists at the workshop of the Housing Cooperative “Ursynów.”

He illustrated poetry collections, including those of Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna and Jan Kasprowicz (Interart Publishing House, Warsaw 1996).

He co-authored the scientific article titled "Zielony potok – organic shapes vs. concrete walls" [in:] “Nature and City,” Volume IX, edited by Jan Rylke, SGGW, Warsaw, 2007.

In 2009, he was part of the jury of the national competition "Re-vitalizing Art," aimed at creating a piece of art in the revitalized space of Bełchatów (organized by the Mayor of Bełchatów).

He was passionate about discovering people's talents – for many years, he worked as a teacher, instructing hundreds of people of all ages in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, design, plane composition, and psychology of vision. He was a respected teacher of art classes, including at the private High School of Fine Arts at Chodakowska Street, the Śródmieście Cultural Center, and the Praga Południe Cultural Promotion Center. He conducted numerous ceramic workshops, including as part of the “Paths of Tradition” cycle at the State Ethnographic Museum. He also organized many painting and ceramic outdoor workshops for his students.