Curatorial walk-through accompanying the exhibition of Hiwa K (in Polish) and a meeting with the artist (in English)

Zachęta – National Gallery of Art
entry included in the ticket price

At 12.15 we invite you to Agnieszka Szyłak's curatorial guided tour of the exhibition Hiwa K: Highly Unlikely but not Impossible (in Polish), which will be followed by a meeting with the artist (in English).

Hiwa K — an visual artist working and living in Berlin. Originally from Kurdistan of Iraq, he fled the country in 1996, eventually settling in Germany where he obtained his formal education in visual arts. He is an accomplished flamenco guitarist who studied under master Paco Peña and continues his musical practice parallel to visual arts. Hiwa K’s work has been shown in major group exhibitions such as documenta 14, Athens and Kassel (2017); 56th Biennale di Venezia (2015); La Triennale, Intense Proximity, Paris (2012) among others. He also took part in most editions of Alternativa festival in Gdańsk (2009–2016). His last individual exhibitions were in Kunstverein Hannover (2018), S.M.A.K. Ghent (2018), New Museum in New York City (2018), and KunstWerke Berlin (2017). Hiwa K have worked with curator Aneta Szyłak since 2005. In 2008, the duo initiated Estrangement, a series of workshops, explorations and discussions in Kurdistan, the outcomes of which were exhibited at The Showroom in London (2010) and in the framework of Alternativa festival in Gdańsk (2011). The artists is a recipient of Arnold-Bode-Preis  (2016) oraz Ernst Schering Preis (2017).

Aneta Szyłak is a curator and writer, recently responsible for the making of NOMUS — New Art Museum in Gdańsk. Since 2005 she works collaboratively with artist Hiwa K. She worked as founding director of Wyspa Institute of Art (2004−2014) and Centre for Contemporary Art Łaźnia (1998−2001). In years 2009–2016 she was also an artistic director of Alternativa —  International Visual Arts Festival. Curated and co-curated exhibitions Slaveness (2018); Damage and Loss (2016); Vernacularity (2015); Everydayness (2014); Hito Steyerl: Abstract (2014); Oliver Ressler: Political Imaginaries — Making the World Anew (2014); The Field is to the Sky, Only Backwards (2013); Buildings and Remnants (2012); Labour and Leisure (2011), Estrangement (2011, 2010). Curating Context — the Palimpsest on the Quotidian and the Curatorial is her PhD project at Goldsmiths, London and University of Copenhagen.

event accompanying the exhibition
  • 19.01 – 28.04.2019
    Hiwa K: Highly Unlikely but not Impossible

    In Kurdish the word "hiwa" means hope. The exhibition "Highly Unlikely but not Impossible" showcases the works of Hiwa K - an Iraqi Kurd who found political asylum in Europe around 20 years ago, and today is considered one of the leading contemporary artists in the world.

    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
See also
  • mediateka / audio
    Hiwa K: Highly Unlikely but not Impossible
    Meeting with the curator Aneta Szyłak and the artist (in English)
  • mediateka / audio
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