The exhibition's title comes from the name of the Warsaw perfumery operating since the 60s on the corner of Krucza Street and Żurawia Street. It was advertised by a stylish neon sign and a drawing showing a bottle of perfume. In the 80s, the neon was removed, and in the 90s a billboard appeared instead. Today, the shop window is covered with sheets and the shop is closed - the spell of Warsaw shattered.
Ołowska examines the processes of city transformation and social relations in an era of increasing consumption. In her works, the figure of a woman is often present. She talks about the idea of women in the era of consumption and a woman as the object of consumption (presented as an object or a purpose of advertising).
In Zachęta, the artist focuses on the work referring to her earlier projects inspired by Warsaw in a broad sense - its history and process of changing. According to the artist, Warsaw is a woman. The Spell of Warsaw talks about dreams of the perfect life, with the distance referring to the changes and new situations.
The exhibition is co-organised by the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, which displayed a selection of the exhibits as Au Bonheur des Dames (September 2013 - January 2014).
Paulina Ołowska was born in 1976 in Gdańsk (Poland). She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, such as: 50 Venice Biennale (2003); 9 Istanbul Biennial (2005); 5 Berlin Biennale of Contemporary Art (2008), and the Carnegie International in Pittsburgh (2013).
She also has many solo exhibitions, among others: “Head - Wig (Portrait of an Exhibition)", Camden Arts Centre, London, 2009, "Applied Fantastic”, Metro Pictures, New York, 2010 and "The Revenge of Fairies" Foksal Gallery Foundation, Warsaw, 2011. The artist is represented by Buchholz Gallery, Foksal Gallery Foundation , Simon Lee Gallery and Metro Pictures.
Paulina Ołowska, The Spell of Warsaw
1.03 – 27.04.2014
The Zachęta National Gallery of Art
Curator: Magda Kardasz
Coperation: Katarzyna Kołodziej
Source: The Zachęta National Gallery of Art, ed. AS, 24.02.2014, translated: Katarzyna Maksimiuk, 27.02.2014