year of publication: 2008
edited by: Agnieszka Szewczyk
introduction: Agnieszka Morawińska
texts: Agnieszka Szewczyk, Maryla Sitkowska, Janusz Zagrodzki
graphic design: Tomasz Bierkowski
publisher: Zachęta - Narodowa Galeria Sztuki
ISBN: 978-83-60713-211

Włodzimierz Pawlak is one of the most original independent artists in Polish contemporary art. His paintings have been featured in all theme and problem exhibitions by Polish curators of various generations and orientations. Pawlak made his debut as a member of Gruppa; he belongs to a generation that paved the way out to the world of Polish art, but failed to entrench itself on the international scene. Gruppa artists were the first in Poland to be promoted in a modern fashion: they had their marchand - Andrzej Bonarski, their critics and curators - Maryla Sitkowska, Anda Rottenberg and Jan Michalski - and were the first to benefit from the opportunities offered by the free market and the heyday of illustrated publications. Though Pawlak's works are known from reproductions in numerous exhibition catalogues and books on Polish art, the Zachęta exhibition is the first so large a presentation of his oeuvre and this publication - the first so comprehensive a catalogue of his works, with a lot of information, analyses and illustrations.