10/12/2026
Chicago, IL — From October 16, 2026, through October 17, 2027, the Polish Museum of America will present the monographic exhibition Szukalski: The Mythshaper / Szukalski. Rzeźbiarz mitu, dedicated to Stanisław Szukalski (1893–1987), one of the most original and controversial artists of the twentieth century. The exhibition is organized by the Polish Museum of America in collaboration with the National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad POLONIKA.
Organized by: The Polish Museum of America and National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad POLONIKA
Curatorial Team: Julita Siegel (PMA), Maria Muszkowska, Dr. Paweł Drabarczyk vel Grabarczyk, and Dr. Magdalena Gutowska (POLONIKA Institute).
The exhibition presents Szukalski as an artist who, drawing on his study of diverse mythologies and artistic traditions, including Pre-Columbian and Slavic traditions, sought to create a modern mythology of his own. He developed it through sculpture, drawings, prints, and photography, as well as through an alternative theory of human history, language, and narratives. Situated at the intersection of art and ideology, science and myth, modernism and archaism, his work defies simple classification and continues to inspire fascination, debate, and critical reflection.
The exhibition offers a reinterpretation of the artist’s legacy from the perspective of contemporary scholarship on modernism, migration, cultural identity, transnational art, pseudoscience, and outsider art. It also raises questions about the role of myth in the modern world and the boundaries between art, science, and ideology.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog prepared by an international team of scholars, art historians, writers, and artists. The publication documents Szukalski’s body of work and presents his art in light of the latest scholarship and contemporary perspectives on modernism, mythology, and pseudoscience.
The opening program will also include the discussion “Szukalski: Too Dynamic to Be Ignored?”, taking place on October 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The conversation will explore, among other topics, how Szukalski constructed his own myths and alternative vision of history, why his work continues to provoke debate, and, more broadly, how to present the work of artists whose legacies are complex and contested.
This exhibition is held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage
October 16th 2026 - October 17th 2027
Opening Reception October 16th 2026 7:00 pm (Admission: $25)
Discussion “Szukalski: Too Dynamic to Be Ignored?”
October 17 2026 1:00 pm (Admission: $20)
Combined Admission (Oct 16 & 17)
$40 Purchase Advance Tickets Online
https://www.polishmuseumofamerica.org/eventer/szukalski-the-mythshaper-at-the-polish-museum-of-america-in-chicago/
