2025
oil on canvas
105 x 150 cm
Starting bid: 10 000 zł
Kinga Nowak’s artistic practice unfolds along both figurative and abstract lines, both of which stem from her fascination with multiculturalism—particularly African art.
The inspiration for The Return of the Benin Leopard lies in the culture and history of Benin, and particularly the fate of its scattered artefacts.
The painting presents a symbolic scene of the leopard’s return to their native land. The leopard—referencing the renowned Benin bronzes—symbolises power and strength, but also innocence. Its pairing with a female figure creates a narrative of harmony between heritage and modernity. A vital role in the work is played by the African landscape, which forms the reclining body of a woman submerged in her surroundings. This motif evokes the masks and sculptures of Benin, underscoring their deep connection to the land from which they originate. The painting becomes a meditation on cultural identity and the imperative of cultural restitution.
Kinga Nowak (b. 1977) is a painter and sculptor. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where she has headed a painting studio since 2024. She also studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
Nowak’s work was featured in the 2014 publication 100 Painters of Tomorrow. Her paintings are held in prominent collections including the National Museum in Kraków, the Royal Castle on Wawel Hill, the National Museum in Gdańsk, the Bunkier Sztuki in Kraków, and numerous private collections.
