BIO & Portfolio

Barbara krupa-kapuśniak (1983)

An artist photographer living in a small town of Lubań in the west of Poland. A student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław.
She discovered her way in photography and has been realizing herself by creating art full of female energy, body taboos, symbiosis with nature and topics related to the herstory of ordinary women.
Participant of artistic residencies, many collective exhibitions, one individual, co-author of the exhibition “Dreaming” with Alicja Przybyszowska. Finalist of the Polish Women’s Photographers’ summary of the year “2022 in the eyes of Polish photographers” for the series “The forest will bring me comfort”. She won a distinction at the XXII Biennale of mountain photography for the subject of the Karkonosze Mountains and the main prize of the competition “In the footsteps of witches’”. Co-author of many publications, author of an e-book about learning photography. An activist for the dissemination of culture and art. She looks for inspiration in the forests and mountains that she passionately explores, as well as in the stories of women who appear in her life.
By creating polaroid transfers, she adds texture to her photos, emphasizes imperfections, plays with the unpredictability of the medium she uses, which gives her works uniqueness.
She creates in the spirit of wabi-sabi – the Japanese art of contemplating imperfection, passing, naturalness, subtle intimacy of the smallest details.
The miniature version of the photographs (approximately 11x11cm) encourages the recipient to approach, establish deeper contact with the image, analyze it and catalyze it through their own feelings. They invite you to search for the message and your own deeper interpretation.
Most of the photos are provided with a short commentary, a hint for the recipient’s polemic with what you see and read.

For 2023, she has exhibitions planned at the Center for Applied Arts Gallery, at the u Kosałki Gallery and at the Karkonosze Museum.

Women’s stories flow through me.
Wounded women, fighting for themselves and their families, displaced, losing husbands, children, raped, abused, giving birth in the field and digging graves for their own children and husbands with their own hands.
I feel a great multitude of unsaid words, loneliness, pain and strength. I describe them, disenchant them, I pay respect for the strength they had to have to survive. These are our mothers and grandmothers and we are of them.
In my pieces of art, women find themselves, but also strength, sadness, sisterhood. They are often nudes – but nudes for female souls. Emotions play a key role here.
I oppose canons, taboos, patriarchy and the roles women are put in. It’s a meeting with oneself, often with traumas, or hidden emotions. It is acceptance, support and unspoken words; a source of inexhaustible strength, pride.

I know that what I do matters, not only to me

Education:

2021 – present – Postgraduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław in the field of “Mediation and Art Market”
2011 – Completion of the doula course run by the Born in Humanity Foundation
2008 – Obtaining the title of IT Engineer

Awards:

01.2023 – Finalist of the Polish Women’s Photographers’ summary of the year “2022 in the eyes of Polish female photographers” for the series “Forest will bring me comfort”
06.2022 – Distinction for the subject of the Giant Mountains in the 22nd Mountain Photography Biennale
2021 – First place and two distinctions in the photo competition “In the footsteps of the Witches” organized by MOSKiAL in Szklarska Poręba on the occasion of the ARKANA event: Festival in the footsteps of Will Erich Peuckert
2008 – Honorable participation in the exhibition “Photographic portrait of Bolesławiec”

Exhibitions and publications:

11/2022 – Collective exhibition after the residency “Movement, breath, space – energy in calligraphy” at the 2 Światy Gallery in Krakow (catalog and online exhibition)
2022 – Post-competition exhibition of the 22nd Biennale of Mountain Photography at the Karkonosze Museum and in the Czech Republic in Vrchlabi at KCEV Krtek and publication in the Catalog for the 22nd Biennale of Mountain Photography
08.2022 – Co-author of the exhibition “Dreams” at the Interferencja Gallery in Olkusz
04.2022 – Participation in the exhibition of the photo competition “Touch” as part of the Legnica Festival SILVER2022 (virtual exhibition)
2022 – Collective exhibition “Our” Jelenia Góra Photography Zone Browar Mieszczański in Wrocław and in the “Nad Schodami” Gallery in Lubań
2022 – Open-air exhibition in Szklarska Poręba at the ARKANA festival: Festival in the footsteps of Will Erich Peuckert and publication in the calendar and catalog issued for the event
2021 – Participation in the Festival of Photography in Goerlitz
2021 – Publication of an article for “Wide frame by Nikon”
2021 – Edition of the e-book for learning photography “Understand your camera, love photography”
2020 – Publication of an article in “CYK Magazyn”
2015 – Preparation of photographs for the book by Sebastian Zielonka “Żeliszów faithful to its roots”
2014 – Development of photographs for the book by Sebastian Zielonka “Kruszyn unusual place”
2014 – Individual photography exhibition “Blue Almonds” at the Stary Theater in Bolesławiec (LINK)
2008 – Honorable participation in the exhibition “Photographic portrait of Bolesławiec”
2005-2014 – Activity and participation in collective exhibitions of the “Informal” and “Camera” associations in Bolesławiec.

Residences:

11/2022 – Guest participation in the artistic residency “Movement, breath, space – energy in calligraphy” (https://szkolakaligrafii.pl/film-i-katalog-z-wystawy/)
06/2022 – Artistic Residence of the Open Plan Foundation “Climate Caravans”
(https://otwartyplan.org/klimatyczne-karawan/)

Activity:

since 2022 Member of the Jeleniogórska Strefa Fotografii association
05.2022 – Conducting art workshops “Art is looking for you” at the Library in Lubań as part of civic initiatives 
03.2022 – Participation in the conference “Women’s Power” in Lubań as a speaker 
2019-2022 – Conducting photo workshops in Lubań
2019 – Conducting photo workshops for the School Complex in Jawor
2019 – Conducting photo workshops in Bolesławiec
2018 – conducting meetings and workshops for women
2014 – Conducting photo workshops at the Municipal Cultural Center in Bolesławiec
2014 – Member of the jury in the photo competition “emotions” of the Municipal Culture and Sports Center in Bolesławiec
2010-2012 vice-president of the Association “Joys of closeness”
2005-2014 – Activity and participation in collective exhibitions of the “Informal” and “Camera” associations in Bolesławiec.

Collections/Collections:

Many works are in the collections of individual collectors.
Six works are in the collection of the Jelenia Góra Cultural Center.
The work “Body” is in the collection of Zachęta – National Art Gallery.
One of the works is in Konik’s Creative collection