Solo Exhibition: Somnium at Villa Decius
Somnium has been extended until the end of October 2026. You can visit the exhibition at the Institute of Culture Villa Decius (Willa Decjusza) in Kraków.
For the first time, Somnium brings together work from several years and different series in one place in Poland. Some of these pieces have previously been exhibited in the United Kingdom, China and the United States. At Villa Decius, they hang alongside previously unpublished work and new pieces I made during my residency.
Light, symbols and stories
Light is what connects these images. I work with it much as a Baroque painter would, using a single source to draw a figure out of the darkness. It directs the eye, gives the scene its shape and lets some details remain hidden.
The compositions are staged and quiet. A gesture, an object or a figure often carries the story. I draw on Slavic mythology, folk beliefs and European painting, bringing them together through scenes that feel like a dream or a memory.
About Villa Decius
Villa Decius is a Renaissance residence built in 1535 in Wola Justowska, now part of Kraków. Once home to the Decius family and later to several Polish aristocratic families, it stands within a historic palace and park complex.
Today, the villa hosts exhibitions, concerts, discussions and international artist residencies. The municipal Institute of Culture Villa Decius, established in 2019, runs programmes that bring artists and audiences from different countries together. This is the setting in which I stayed, made new work and presented Somnium.
Read more about the building and plan a visit on the Villa Decius website.
Making work at Villa Decius
Seeing the work in a Renaissance villa in Kraków gave me a different perspective on it. The rooms and the history of the house became part of how I experienced the images.
During the residency, I also had time to make new work there. Some of the exhibition grew directly from that stay. Seeing pieces from separate series together, alongside these new images, was the part that meant the most to me.
Visiting Somnium
3 September to 31 October 2026
Institute of Culture Villa Decius (Willa Decjusza)
Kraków, Poland
The exhibition opened on 3 September as part of the institution’s thirtieth anniversary programme. Originally scheduled to close on 18 October, it has been extended until the end of the month.
Below are photographs from the opening, taken by Michał Małecki.
