Jacek Sroka

National Museum, Cracow
March 7th 2007 - May 4th 2008

The titles are certainly not boring: Evil Woman, SwampThing, Rats in the Newest BMW, The Marquis de Sade's Assumption into Dog Heaven - and the paintings should delight punters with a penchant for the grotesque.

As it goes, humans generally come across as pretty monstrous creatures in Jacek Sroka's world. It doesn't matter whether they're children or grandpas, homo sapiens is not portrayed in a flattering light. Dogs, often considered amongst the most convivial members of the animal kingdom, are singled out for especial horrors. In Sroka's grotesque galaxy, dogs are depicted either eating each other or chomping on some absent-minded child. Sroka's humour is a winning factor, but he won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Above: 'Mayerling' - Sroka's take on the Habsburg scandal

Jacek Sroka has won plenty of fans beyond Poland's borders. His works have found homes at many hallowed institutions, including the British Museum, Vienna's Albertina, The Met in New York and the Biblioteque Nationale, Paris.

This particular exhibition is a part of the 'Graphic Artists From Cracow' series. And for our money, the prints are indeed a cut above the paintings (if you're not bowled over by the main room, don't retreat before turning the corner and checking out the etchings and aquatints).

Sroka's life echoes that of the many of Poland's current intelligentsia. He was born at a time when Poland bathed in a brief glow of optimism - 1957. The thaw that followed Stalin's death led many to believe that a more democratic socialism could be achieved. Sroka's own father was a veteran of the underground Home Army, and spent eight years on the run from the communists. Sroka Senior escaped on one occasion because an informer vouched that he had had left wing leanings before the war (i.e he didn't conform to the 'fascist' stereotype that the communists branded on underground fighters). During the eighties the younger Sroka identified with the Solidarity movement. By that stage he had already won acclaim beyond Poland's borders - not easy in those days - and he remains a sought after figure amongst collectors.


The National Museum,
Ul. 3 Maja 1.