Piotr Szurek
Between 1982 and 1987, he studied at the Faculty of Painting, Graphics, and Sculpture at the State Higher School of Fine Arts (now the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of the Arts) in Poznań. He graduated with distinction in graphic techniques in 1987. Since then, he has been employed at his alma mater and currently serves as Head of the Third Graphics Studio – Intaglio at the Faculty of Graphic Arts.
The primary focus of Piotr Szurek’s artistic and scholarly research is the self-portrait, explored as a field of broadly understood symbolism intended to convey the non-material dimension of existence. In his work, drawing and graphic practices develop in parallel. Both activities, equally important to him, intersect and complement each other. In his graphic works, they exemplify a distinctive amplification of form developed through drawing, deriving mainly from the vitality and energy of the drawn line. His graphic works are executed using classical intaglio techniques. In his most recent works, however, he combines a cool photographic notation (digital printing) with the characteristic energetic expressiveness previously developed in his graphic practice.
Self-Portrait (2025)
Technique: aquatint
Dimensions: 205 × 90 cm
Year: 2025
The work depicts a male figure in an expressive, unsettling style, exploring corporeality and subjectivity within an oppressive social structure while testing the boundaries of transparency and power.
Self-Portrait (2023)
Technique: aquatint
Dimensions: cycle of three large-format prints, 197 × 97 cm each
Year: 2023
Exhibition: 9th International Triennale of Graphic Art – Sofia 2023
Organizer: Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA) / Union of Bulgarian Artists Exhibition Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
In this series, the artist investigates the relationship between the physicality of the human body and individual, inner experience, revealing both form and the psychological dimension of existence. The works engage with contemporary discussions on perception, expression, and identity in visual arts, combining aesthetic qualities with theoretical reflection on the body and subjectivity.
Self-Portrait (2022)
Technique: aquatint
Year: 2022
Self-Portrait (2018)
Technique: aquatint, drypoint
Year: 2018
