In 1962, Picelj initiated a series of his self-published “Edition a” art booklets, having released a total of seven publications up until 1964. Each issue of “Edition a” featured the work of one artist —mostly of a colleague whose work he admired.
In 1962, Picelj initiated a series of his self-published “Edition a” art booklets, having released a total of seven publications up until 1964. Each issue of “Edition a” featured the work of one artist —mostly of a colleague whose work he admired.
2023
ceramic
63 x 36 x 27 cm
Estimate: €50,000–70,000
Paweł Althamer, one of the most outstanding contemporary Polish artists, portrays Eric Shieni, a young Kenyan volunteer, finance student, and active member of the community associated with the Journey Through The Savannah Foundation, involved in educational and relief efforts for children. His life was tragically cut short in June 2024 during the brutally suppressed protests in Nairobi.
The sculpture was created as a result of the artist’s meeting with Eric Shieni in Kenya, where Althamer was struck by his distinctive features and strong, compelling presence. The bust functions as a material testament to the memory of the deceased and a symbol of the lost potential of a socially engaged young man. Althamer’s work is a tribute to the murdered Erico, his family and friends, and the entire community that has carried out educational and aid projects in Kenya since 2017 within the JTTS Foundation.
Paweł Althamer (b. 1967) is a sculptor, performer, installation artist, and video artist. From 1988 to 1993, he studied at the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He received his diploma in the studio of Grzegorz Kowalski, preparing at that time his sculptural, hyperrealist self-portrait.
In the 1990s, together with fellow students Katarzyna Kozyra, Jacek Markiewicz, and Jacek Adamas, he co-created “Kowalski’s Studio,” also known as “Kowalnia.” At the same time, he traveled to Africa, which significantly influenced his practice as a sculptor. Althamer’s first figures were made in a simplistic way, using unconventional materials such as grass, straw, animal skins, and intestines. Althamer is also widely recognized for his performance art. Especially in the 1990s, these works were attempts to search for alternative realities and “altered states of consciousness,” a journey inward. The artist is also known for artistic interventions based on activating local communities.
Althamer’s works are held in the collections of the most important Polish cultural institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art (Warsaw), Zachęta – National Gallery of Art (Warsaw), and the Polish Sculpture Center in Orońsko. He is the recipient of the prestigious Vincent van Gogh Award (2004) and the Polityka Passport Award (2010).
