The Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology is about to hold the exhibition COSMIC GENERATION, Agata Agatowska’s first solo show of such magnitude in Poland. The sculptor’s style is characterized by references to classical figural sculpture, art history’s familiar busts and heads, while also drawing extensively from modern and contemporary culture, encompassing fashion, film, art, and popular culture, and also including Japanese influences.

The COSMIC GENERATION show follows the evolution processes that permeate one another in Agatowska’s work on various levels. One of these is the evolution of form: Agatowska takes existing sculptures and subjects them to modifications to create their surprising successive transformations. Initially, she used the camera obscura in these experiments, then applied interference with television signal, and nowadays she relies on digital processing. While this process may seem a kind of painstaking, steady linear progress, Agatowska is more than capable of surprising us, if only by introducing elements of humour and revealing the aspect of chaos, an inseparable component of any activity. Another evolution in the artist’s work takes place at the level of visions of femininity. Proudly erect, with their heads raised, Agatowska’s figures look us in the eye while wearing armour inspired by the collections of Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. But also Mickey Mouse ears. These figures are representative of the new generation of women, empowered and fused with the achievements of the future.

At the same time, Agatowska boldly draws upon Japanese culture, so the exhibition includes elements of kawaii and shows inspiration from such artists as Yoshitomo Nara or Takashi Murakami. There will also be completely new works, prepared specifically for the show at the Manggha Museum.


Co-financed by the strategic program Excellence Initiative – Research University at the University of National Education Comission, Krakow