Miroslaw Balka (b. 1958, Poland) creates sculptures, installations and videos of seemingly minimalistic expression, which are characterized by his use of industrial materials that carry morbid and traumatic associations. In his work Balka attends to personal and collective memory – such as Poland under Nazi occupation, the communist government after World War II, and the Catholic education he received in his childhood. With their simple, industrial materiality, Balka’s works manage to touch viewers’ raw nerves and expose the way in which subjective experiences transform into collective trauma and are translated into history. Miroslaw Balka has exhibited in major art institutions worldwide, including a large project for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall.
Related exhibition: The Towering Inferno
Further information: miroslaw-balka.com
Miroslaw Balka, Adoration – Amapola, 1999, steel, iron, wood, wax and cigarette butts
Miroslaw Balka, Put Your Feet On Me, 2006, Steel and leather belt