Izabela Żółcińska (b.1975 in Kielce) is a Polish-born artist living in Norway. She holds an MA in Visual Arts Painting and an MA in Arts Education and Promotion both from Fine Art Academy in Poznań, Poland.
Through her practice, Żółcińska seeks to understand human physicality as a liquid structure that is connected to the wider ecosystem. She is inspired by the aesthetic and function of biological transportation network systems and often works with the phenomena of fluid migration. Informed by research and cross-disciplinary collaborations, she explores anatomy, architecture, cognitive science, fluid mechanics and hydrobiology. She employs a variety of mediums and works both with studio-based practice and projects in public space - where her works transform the micro into macro scale.
Selected exhibitions include Vestfold Kunstsenter, Tønsberg, NO - The Weeping Project, 2024, Center of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, Torun, PL - Let them Weave! Contemporary Polish Sewn Sculpture, 2023, Fotogalleriet, Oslo, NO - Electrification, Ripples, and a Glass Plate, 2023, Ronneby Kunsthall, SE- Hydroanatomy, 2019, Science Gallery, London, GB - Blood: Life Uncut, and Science Gallery in Melbourne, AU - Blood: Attract & Repel, 2017, 13 Muz Gallery, Szczecin, PL - Oksydan, 2016, 0047 Gallery, Oslo, NO - Høyblokka Revisited, 2014, The Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, PL - The Capillary Phenomena, 2010, Museum of Contemporary Art, Radom, PL - Random in Radom, 2007.
Large-scale public artworks include The Redroots installation in the County Hall in Bergen, painting projects 58°27′20″N 8°48′14″Ø and The Red List of Protected Species on Tromøya island, NO, The Navel string - a weaving plant installation on Kjerringøy, NO, The Glomma/ The Bodies of Rivers cycle - water cut hydro data installation at Tynset Videregående skole, NO and The Wall of Warmth/ The Capillary Phenomena cycle - a temporary neon installation on the tenement in the centre of Warsaw, PL.
Currently, Żółcińska is working on The Weeping project, inspired by fog harvesting nets - collecting fresh water, in cooperation with Prof. Andreas Carlson’s research group from the Department of Mathematics at the Oslo University. Researchers and Zolcinska share a mutual interest in capillary flow and investigate nature’s way of condensing humidity into liquid. Based on this research, she has created The Weeping Station. This installation invited the audience to interact with a particular species of moss that performed water collecting from a mist. It has triggered a novel metaphor of learning from hair cup moss's ability to condense mist. It also directed her to emulate moss's ability into a new material for fog collection: human hair. As a result, the research team included both materials in scientific research proposals as empirical models for further investigations in the TWIST: Optimizing Capillary Flows in Twisted Fiber Structures project granted by UE.
Żółcińska is represented in public collections, including KORO (Public Art Agency Norway), NO, and Region Kronoberg, SE, as well as in private collections such as In Situ Contemporary Art Foundation, PL, Grażyna Kulczyk, PL/CH, and Marek Maria Pienkowski Foundation, USA. She has been awarded scholarships by the Arts Council Norway, Nordic Culture Point, The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists, and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Poland.
CV
EDUCATION
1999 – 2002 Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland. The Painting, Graphics, and Sculpture Department. Master of Arts in the discipline: Visual Art - Painting.
1997 – 2001 Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland. The Art Education Department, Master of Arts in Art Education, Curating and Promotion.
INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS (selected)
2024 The Weeping Station, Vestfold Kunstsenter, Tønsberg, NO
2021 The Red List of Home Structures, Buskerud Kunstsenter & Globus Festivalen, Drammen; NO
2020 The Drifting State LAB, Vestfold Kunstsenter, Tønsberg, NO
2019 Myopia, Muzalewska Gallery, Poznan, PL
2018 Hydroanatomy, Ronneby Kunsthall, Ronneby, SE
2017 The Skin, Wozownia Gallery, Torun, PL
2015 The Red List of Threatened Species, Teatergalleriet, Kalmar, SE
2014 The Bodies of Rivers/ The Glomma, Nord Østerdal High School, Tynset, NO
2014 Oslo Open, Oslo, NO
2012 The Bodies of Rivers/ The Oder, Contemporary Art Gallery, Opole, PL
2012 Biophilia, Muzalewska Gallery, Poznan, PL
2011 Capillary Phenomena, Exit Prize 2010, Promocyjna Gallery, Warsaw, PL
2010 Capillary Phenomena/ The Water Tank, Ujazdowski Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, PL
2010 Capillary Phenomena/ Where the Capillaries Live, Sadowa 10, Jablonna, PL
2009 Capillary Drawings, Simonis Gallery, Warsaw, PL
2008 Plus - Minus/ REM Phase, Ego Gallery, Poznan, PL
2008 Plus-minus, Pienkow Art Gallery, Knoxville, USA
2007 Plus - Minus/ REM Phase, Ujazdowski Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, PL
2007 Plus - Minus/Omnia Vidit, The Centre of Polish Sculpture, Oronsko, PL
2006 Capillary Drawings: The Eye, Sadowa 10, Jablonna, PL
2002 Remoteness, U Jezuitow Gallery, Poznan, PL
2002 Humanized Room, Rotunda Gallery, Poznan, PL
2002 Plus – Minus, Aula Gallery, Poznan, PL
2001 A Contemporary Dream book, Fine Arts Academy, Poznan, PL
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS (selected)
2023 Electrification, Ripples, and a Glass Plate, curated by Hilde Methi, Fotogalleriet, Oslo, NO
2023 Let them Weave! Contemporary Polish Sewn Sculpture, Center of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, Torun, PL
2023 Stipendutstilling, Vestfold Kunstsenter, Tønsberg, NO (scholarship awarded)
2022 Let them Weave! Contemporary Polish Sewn Sculpture, Studio Cannaregio, Venezia, IT
2021 The Red List of Threatened Species/ Alleskolan: Urban Garden Day, Kungsback, SE
2020 You’re probably wondering why I’m here, Hå Gamle Prestegard, Nærbø, NO
2019 Stipendutstilling, Buskerud Kultursenter, Drammen, NO
2019 Her og Der Prosjekt, Oslo Open, NO
2018 Kjerringøy Land Art Biennale, K Lab, Kjerringøy, NO
2017 Blood: Life Uncut, SG Gallery, London, GB
2017 Blood: Attract & Repel, SG Gallery, Melbourne, AU
2017 Body Language, Berlin Blue Gallery, Berlin, D
2017 Body Language, CCA Solvay, Krakow, PL
2016 inSPIRACJE International Festival, Szczecin, PL
2014 Høyblokka Revisited/ The Red List of Threatened Species, 0047 Gallery, Oslo, NO
2014 The Corporal Continuum, Wozownia Gallery, Torun, PL
2014 The Corporal Continuum,13 Muz Gallery, Szczecin, PL
2014 Logographers, The Contemporary Art Gallery, Opole, PL
2014 Imprint - Kulisiewicz International Graphic Arts Triennial, Sinfonia Varsovia, Warsaw, PL
2013 Open House. The Norwegian Drawing Association, Oslo, No
2013 212/Guest rooms, Muzalewska Gallery, Sky Tower, Wroclaw, PL
2013 Art & New Technologies, Center of Art EL Gallery, Elblag, PL, Art Line, SE
2012 Art & Apparatus, Kulturcentrum, Ronneby, SE
2009 Icons of victory/ TransFORM100 artists - 1980, 1989, 2009, Humboldt Umspannwerk, Berlin, D
2007 Random in Radom, Museum of Contemporary Art, Radom, PL
2006 Icons of Victory, Lodz Art Center, Lodz, PL
2003 Human&City, 48 Gallery, Poznan, PL
2003 I Biennial Art Community Poznan, Profil Gallery, Poznan, PL
PROJECTS IN PUBLIC SPACE
2024 Frederikke Performance, Blindern Campus, The Oslo University, NO
2023 Red Roots, County Hall, Bergen, NO
2023 The Solar Morphology (Alocasia søgneniensis), Søgne High School and Sports Center, Kristiansand, NO
2020 The Red List of Protected Species - indoor project and 58°27′20″N 8°48′14″ - outdoor project, The Roligheden School, Færvik, Arendal, NO,
2018 The Navel string, Kjerringøy Land Art Biennale, K Lab, Kjerringøy, NO
2018 The Protected Species, Åsane Culture House, Bergen, NO
2018 The Red List of Protected Species, Nord Odal Library and Bank, Sand, NO
2018 Water4Cast, Pottholmen Project, Karlskrona, SE
2017 Walking on the Water, Brunnspark, Ronneby, SE
2016 Erythrocyte, 13 Muz Gallery, Szczecin, PL
2014 The Glomma, Tynset High School, NO
2010 – 2011 The Wall of Warmth, Hoza 42 Street, Warsaw, PL
2010 The Water Tank, Ujazdowski Park, Warsaw PL
2008 REM Phase, Polwiejska/Krakowska street, Poznan, PL
2007 REM Phase, Marszalkowska/Swietokrzyska Street, Warsaw, PL
RESEARCH
2025 TWIST: Optimizing Capillary Flows in Twisted Fiber Structures project, Prof. Andreas Carlson’s research group, The Faculty of Mathematics, University of Oslo, NO
2024 REAL art -program, Prof. Andreas Carlson’s research group, The Faculty of Mathematics, University of Oslo, NO
2023 The Breathing Diary project in cooperation (breathing sensors) with Sagar Sen (senior researcher), Sintef, Oslo, NO
2022 Academy for Rhythmorphology (ARm) # 1, collective research on tides, Slettnes fyr, Gamvik, NO
2022 Project in cooperation with Project NANO2021, The Faculty of Mathematics, University of Oslo, NO
2018 – 2020 Project dedicated to public water space in cooperation with The University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, NO
2017 The Water4Cast Project, in cooperation with Betong LAB, Unicon AS, Larvik, NO
2017 The Stentgrafts Project in cooperation with Water jet LAB, Ronneby, SE
2015 Research visit at Water jet LAB, Water Jet Sweden AB, Kunsthall Ronneby, SE
2011 – 2012 The Bodies of Rivers Project in cooperation with Blekinge Technology Institute and ARTLine-programme, Ronneby, SE
SCHOLARSHIPS & PRIZES
2024 REAL art -program scholarship, The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, University of Oslo,1-year
2023 Vestfold Kunstsenter working grant, 1-year, NO
2023 The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK), working grant, 1-year
2022 The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK), working grant, 1-year
2022 Vestfold og Telemark County Scholarship
2019 Vestfold Kunstsenter working grant (1-year), NO
2019 Buskerud Kunstsenter production scholarship, NO
2017 Arts Council Norway, Diversity Grant
2015/2016 Nordic Culture Point Mobility Grant
2014 The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK), working grant, 1-year
2010 EXIT Art Prize for 2010, PL
2002/2007/2009 Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Poland, working grant, 1-year
COMMISSIONS
KORO Public Art Agency, NO
Region Kronoberg Collection, SE
Marek Maria Pienkowski Foundation Collection, USA
Jan Kulczyk Collection, PL/CH
Grażyna Kulczyk Collection, PL/CH
Andrzej Sykulski Collection, PL
Dorota and Marek Dojnow Collection, PL
Works in private collections in France, Austria, Norway, Sweden, USA and Poland.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (selected)
2025 The Weeping Project - film by Audun Bjerknes, LINK – Centre for Learning, Innovation & Academic Development, Oslo,
2025 Becoming Fluid - a book in cooperation with Norsk BioArt Arena, UC Santa Cruz, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
2022 Let them Weave! Contemporary Polish Sewn Sculpture, Exhibition catalogue, The Centre of Polish Sculpture Orońsko, PL
2022 Bogna Świątkowska, Maciej Frąckowiak, Monika Wróbel: Synkronisering Magazine, Bęc Zmiana-stiftelsen, Warsaw, p.53-55, PL https://issuu.com/beczmiana/docs/synchro_raport_2022
2020 Natalia Barczyńska: Skin as a space for contact and change in contemporary art. - Master’s thesis, Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences Institute of Art History University of Wrocław, Poland
2019 Jaromir Jedliński: Myopia. Exhibition catalogue, Muzalewska Gallery, Poznan, PL
2017 Monika Wróbel Place of Contemporary Art in City Spaces Based on Warsaw, 1990-2015, Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Architecture (FA), Warsaw University of Technology
2017 Blood: Attract & Repel. Exhibition catalogue, Science Gallery Melbourne, AU
2017 Izabela Zolcinska, Skin. Objects, text. Exhibition catalogue, Wozownia Gallery, Torun, PL
2017 Inga Walton: A Bloody Business – Blood: Attract & Repel, Trouble Magazine, No. 149,p.40-41, https://issuu.com/troublemag/docs/0_isn149_sep17issuu
2017 Brit Anne Botheim: Kunst Tilstede, Kunstbanken Hedmark Kunstsenter
2016 Oksydan. On the fluid, empathetic side of life. Exhibition catalogue,13 Muz, 2016, p. 50-53
2015 Lena Wicherkiewicz: About corporal aspect of The Bodies of Rivers. Format Nr 70/2015, p. 80
2014 Leif Houck: De riktige grepene. Architecture Magazine: Arkitektur N, No. 5-2014, s. 31
2014 Ingerid Helsing Almaas, Markus Richter: Open Call - Høyblokka Revisited. Architecture Magazine: Arkitektur N, No. 4-2014, p. 30-33
2014 Lena Wicherkiewicz: Cielesne kontinuum. Catalogue of Exhibition, Wozownia Gallery, Torun, PL
2014 Izabela Żółcińska: The Bodies of Rivers. Art Line Baltic cooperation. Art Line catalogue, p. 130-134
2012 Izabela Żółcińska in conversation with Jaromir Jedlinski. Catalogue of Bioiphilia exhibition, Muzalewska Gallery, Poznan 2012, p. 10 – 27
2012 Agnieszka Dela: About visual transfusions pumping warmth. Art Magazine: Art Punkt; No. 12, March 2012, p. 12
2011 Magdalena Wicherkiewicz: The female part of the decade, the female part of art 2001 - 2012. Art Magazine: Format Nr 61/2011, p. 20
2010 Magdalena Wicherkiewicz: Red Trials. Art Magazine: EXIT New art in Poland, No. 4 (84)2010, p. 5594
2009 Magdalena Wicherkiewicz: The Capillary. Art Magazine: EXIT New art in Poland, No. 2(78)2009, p.5138
2009 Kazimierz Piotrowski: Icons of Victory – SIEGesIKONen in Berlin, www.obieg.pl
2008 Gabriela Jarzebowska: In the name of Jerzy Busza – Random in Radom, www.obieg.pl
2008 Izabela Żółcińska: Art survival outside of „white cube” space – on the margins of the 6th edition SURVIVAL Art Review Art Magazine: Oronsko – Kwartalnik Rzezby; 3-4/2007
2007 Izabela Żółcińska: Plus Minus – catalogue of Plus Minus / Omnia Vidid exhibition Publish by: Agencja Reklamowo – Wydawnicza Fine Grain
2007 Sleep and Dream; Art Magazine: Modern Art 6 (7) 2007, p.5
2007 Izabela Żółcińska: Plus Minus. Art Magazine: Tytuł Roboczy 2007.01/02-03/04 (017-018)
2007 Agnieszka Okrzeja: Plus minus. Potential of image. Art Magazine: Oronsko – Kwartalnik Rzezby; 3-4/2007, p.17-19 2007
2007 Izabela Żółcińska: Biennale is still with us. Art Magazine: Orońsko – Kwartalnik Rzezby, 3-4/2007; p.33-38
2006 Izabela Żółcińska: All what is red in me, Icon of Victory. Art Magazine: Tytuł Roboczy 2006.03/04-05/06 (012-013)
2006 Katarzyna Bojarska: Cultural Phenomenon of Icon, www.obieg.pl
2006 Grzegorz Borkowski: The Icons of the 80’s in Norblin, www.obieg.pl
MEMBERSHIP
The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK),
The Norwegian Drawing Association (TF),
The Association of Visual Artists in Vestfold (VBK) in Norway.