# Magda Bielesz

Magda Bielesz (born 25 March 1977 in Warsaw) – painter, author of installations, objects, drawings, videos.

## Career

Graduated from the Faculty of Painting Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, diploma in Gościnna atelier of prof. Leon Tarasewicz (2002). As a student noticed by curators and critics, which resulted in the exhibition involving young artists Look at me / Spójrz na mnie, organized by Bunkier Sztuki Gallery in Cracow (2002) and Blok.osiedle.mieszkanie by Galeria Działań / Raster Gallery (2002). Individual exhibition debut was held in Small Salon of Zachęta National Gallery of Art in 2003. In 2002 received half-year scholarship from Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. In 2005 was nominated in the seventh Eugeniusz Geppert's competition, in an online vote winning the highest number of votes. She was on the monthly creative workshops (artist in residences), among others Wd8 Walkersdorf / Graz, Austria 2006 moxa, Mooste, Estonia (2006), / Aiji Art Center Abiko / Tokyo, Japan (2006). In 2006 received a six-month scholarship from Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and "Young Poland" scholarship. Has numerous exhibitions in the country and abroad. Her works are in the collections of Museum of New Art in Detroit, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, IHS University of Warsaw. Lives and works in Warsaw.

## Works

Magda Bielesz art is about subjects such as promise of happiness, life vitality, but also the problems of impaired body, old age – subjects not present in society communication, thus excluded. In terms of the artist, they regain their place in the natural cycle of life. In the Magdy Bielesz works, there is the hope and joy of life, often revealed in the children's fairy tale stylization. In her works she is dating back to the memories and dreams, relationships, health-illness relation. She would like to find and fix all the deficiencies and damages. Delving into the world of childhood improves memory, which often differ from the actual situation. Referring to childhood, she creates a kind of un growing mythology. The most recognizable series are: Maszyny, Lekcja pływania i Dzieci. As Bielesz sayes: In every area of my life I try to take from reality just as much as I need at the moment. I paint what I always missed, through my paintings fulfilling my dreams. Her paintings are very clean - one item or a single person on a white background. Joining to one another, creating an endless spatial arrangement. Often it goes beyond the image - a series of children on jumping ropes seems to jump out of the images. In the Room project, she made the first intervention in the architectural space of her studio (Night of Museums, 2009), and then in the extended version in spaces of Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdansk (2010). Thanks to the black line, new architectural elements are appearing, which she considered as missing, thus invites the viewer's imagination to run, crossing the physical barriers and symbolic passing through the wall. Bielesz also creates video works that are very similar to painting. Videos can be divided into two groups: one is a documentation of events, images that she records (Dobro, 100 obrazków, Chwilami nierealności), the other is as she says are paintings that are moving (Lekcja pływania, Złość piękności szkodzi, Gimnastyka). From Magda images raises fascination on the states that she is not able experience. On her paintings she often marks objects and characters by depriving them of light and shade and putting them on a neutral white background. This creates the illusion of their own lives, outside of context meanings, which they originated. This latter also applies to objects - talismans, which play an important role in her work. Bielesz creates them in short bursts: Poduszki do pływania we śnie, Universal memory (sachets of plant seeds), Universal dreams (sachets of seeds of plants), Universal Wish (sachet of pills: Meet ET, Sing as Johnny Cash, be lucky, change sperm taste - carrot, be born again, clone yourself etc.), KLOCKI, czyli zestaw do kreatywnego spędzania czasu and Crystal.