History

Beginnings: Gdańsk and Childhood

Marek Edmund Kijewski was born on 27 May 1955 in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz.

As a child he lived with his parents and brother in Norway. He attended Nordstrand School in Oslo from 1962 to 1967. After returning to Poland, he lived in Gdynia.

1971–1985: Education and Studies

In 1971 he entered the art secondary school in Gdynia-Orłowo, where he studied sculpture under Elżbieta Szczodrowska. In 1975 he completed school and received a visual arts qualification. He studied sculpture at the State Higher School of Fine Arts in Gdańsk from 1975 to 1979.

He continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. On 20 December 1985 he defended the practical diploma work The Road under Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz and the thesis Myths and Reality under Wojciech Włodarczyk.

1985–1989: Neue Bieriemiennost

In 1985 he co-founded Świadomość Neue Bieriemiennost with Mirosław Bałka and Mirosław Filonik. The group worked with sculpture, installations and artistic actions.

Its presentations included Dziekanka Workshop and Co słychać at the Norblin Factory. The main phase of the group’s activity was 1985–1987. Exhibitions under the Neue Bieriemiennost name also took place in 1988; Keine Neue Bieriemiennost was presented in Białystok in 1989.

1987: A Motorbike and Golden Dust

At the opening of CCCHHALLOOO MAMOOM at Dziekanka Workshop in 1987, Kijewski performed an action involving a motorbike. He sat on the stationary machine, accompanied by lights and golden dust dispersed around the motorbike and audience.

The words “I’m All A-tremble When I Can Shower You With Gold”, associated with the action, became the title of his posthumous retrospective in 2008.

Late 1980s and Early 1990s: Light and Colour

Primary forms, fluorescent tubes and neon appeared in his work at the turn of the 1990s. During this period Kijewski was interested in the writings of Orthodox theologian Pavel Florensky and in colour symbolism.

Exhibitions associated with this phase include Redd Mecca, Arms, First Order, V.I.T.R.I.O.L, Some and Light. Welcome, Pneumatics from 1992 combines wood, salt, nuts, glass, silver and 24-carat gold.

1994–1995: New Materials

From 1994 Kijewski used sweets, silicone, artificial fur, feathers and toy components in his sculptures. Figures and motifs from popular culture appeared in his work.

Wilma Flintstone’s Tattoos from 1995 refers to the animated character. Ancient Languages combines fruit drops, silicone, feathers and rubber, while Untitled from 1994 brings together meringues, dog hair and precious metals. These are independent works by Marek Kijewski.

From 1996: Kijewski/Kocur

In 1996 Kijewski began collaborating with Małgorzata Malinowska, known as Kocur. They signed their joint works Kijewski/Kocur.

The duo’s works include Golden Shot, Help Yourself, Bodyguard of Your Juices, Ophelia Reclining, Transfer and Saint II. Their materials included Lego bricks, artificial fur, light, plants and precious metals.

They described their method as SSS—surfing, scanning, sampling: searching for, selecting and combining elements drawn from different areas of culture.

Around 2000: Ethical Bits and Gates

The Ethical Bits system emerged around 2000. It was composed of cubes and T-shaped forms, combined into larger structures, reliefs and gates.

Within the system’s symbolism, blue represented spirit, red represented matter and gold represented energy. Works included Heaven Gates, Hell Gates, Papa Gates, Bill Gates and Golden Gates. GATES@PL was held at CCA Ujazdowski Castle in 2001.

Image, Billboard, Music

The later work included digital prints, billboards and sound. Three Triptychs was presented in Poznań in 2003, followed by Three Triptychs +… in Gdańsk in 2005. Repeated figures and aircraft images appeared among the motifs.

Surviving film records include documentation of the Positive exhibition in 1995, an artist talk accompanying GATES@PL in 2001 and a personal lexicon. A sound structure credited Kijewski/Kocur/Stańko was also made for later projects.

2007: Bifurcations and the Final Project

In 2007 Kijewski initiated the Bifurcations residency in Orońsko. The prototype of First Element was made there: a seated dog with a large heart. The planned ensemble comprised thirteen figures in blue, red and gold.

Marek Kijewski died in Warsaw on 19 August 2007 before completing the ensemble. It was reconstructed from the prototype and drawings for the Bifurcations exhibition in 2008.

2008–2009: Retrospectives

A posthumous retrospective curated by Ewa Gorządek was held at CCA Ujazdowski Castle in 2008. Its two parts presented Marek’s independent work up to 1996 and the later Kijewski/Kocur collaboration. Further presentations followed in Orońsko, Białystok and Bielsko-Biała in 2009.

A substantial portion of the early works has not survived. Photographs, drawings and films documenting the artist’s work are held by institutions including U-jazdowski’s Mediateka and the Centre of Polish Sculpture.