09/06/2026
Dorota Jurczak, itede, itepe
Curated by Miguel Wandschneider
Rialto6
Photos by Ana Paganini
The world that Dorota Jurczak has created is, in fact, distinct. It is, above all, a concise and effective reality in its entirety, without needing to anchor itself to any narrative line to cement itself. According to the very few online texts about Dorota Jurczak, the artist’s work incorporates notions of Polish folklore, bordering on the macabre and somber, relying on a terrifying figuration. However, I don’t feel completely in agreement with these lines. In itede, itepe, etc., etc., in Polish, I felt, above all, a familiar, domestic well-being – I dare say. The characters that Dorota has brought here, over the last 5 years of production, seemed to have recognized me there, showed me their presence, and respected my peace. Perhaps the advantage of only now looking at Dorota’s work lies here. I felt carefree enough to sit on the stairs of the exhibition space writing these words. I don’t know if the comfort will come from the pastel pink that covers the entire exhibition or from the play of color that endows it with a certain strength. In fact, after having sought out the artist’s work, this exhibition is probably the one that least evokes those somewhat somber feelings. From the prints to the sculptural work in this exhibition, the bizarre, which is also one of the driving forces of Dorota’s work, wasn’t as strongly felt here. Still, perhaps I discovered a little bit of my own world here. In that sense, it’s an exhibition that deserves attention, of importance in the contemporary artistic context, especially in the Portuguese scene. The fact that Dorota’s visual production doesn’t fit into these contexts is a matter of great interest. I conclude, therefore, that it’s a curatorially insightful note on the part of Miguel Wandschneider, which, it’s worth pointing out, also aligns with his beautiful selection of books for the Livraria da Rialto6, which opened at the same time as this exhibition. Certainly, something we are invited to do, when faced with Dorota Jurczak’s work, is to discover our world, or our reality, through the openness of her artistic work.
Tomás Saraiva
