Jerzy Bereś Estate
Jerzy Bereś was born in 1930, died in 2012. Studied at the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts (1950-1955). He lived and worked in Krakow.
Jerzy Bereś was one of the most influential artists of his generation, working with sculpture and performance. The peak of his artistic practice falls on the period of communism in Poland, and his oeuvre is considered to be one of the most politically engaged in Polish art of the second half of the twentieth century.
Bereś emphasized the spiritual bond between the artist and his works. In his sculptures he combined raw materials – wood, field stones, ropes, scraps of canvas – with basic carpentry techniques. They were also prominently featured in some of the over two hundred of his “demonstrations”, as he would describe his actions.
Works in collections
National Museum in Kraków, PL
National Museum in Warsaw, PL
National Museum in Wrocław, PL
National Museum in Łódź, PL
National Museum in Poznań, PL
Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, PL
MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków, PL
Stedelijk Museum, NL
Kunstmuseum Bochum, DE
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, DK
Moderna galerija, Ljubljana, SV
Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, US
Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburgu, DE
Oxford Museum of Modern Art, UK
Jerzy Bereś, The Blues, 1974/1975
wood, glass milk bottle, wine bottle, rope, horseshoe nails, acrylic
107 × 160 × 190 cm
Jerzy Bereś, The Blues, 1974/1975
wood, glass milk bottle, wine bottle, rope, horseshoe nails, acrylic
107 × 160 × 190 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Spring Altar, 1974
wood, acrylic, stones, hemp rope, steel frying pan, cotton wool, soil
166 × 140 × 70 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Spring Altar, 1974
wood, acrylic, stones, hemp rope, steel frying pan, cotton wool, soil
166 × 140 × 70 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Fear, 1973
wood, hemp rope, bell, acrylic
216 × 104 × 66 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Fear, 1973
wood, hemp rope, bell, acrylic
216 × 104 × 66 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Ethical Sokha, 1991-1992
wood, rope, fabric, acrylic
300 × 190 × 390 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Ethical Sokha, 1991-1992
wood, rope, fabric, acrylic
300 × 190 × 390 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Ymbol, 1987
wood, hemp rope, acrylic
270 × 240 × 180 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Ymbol, 1987
wood, hemp rope, acrylic
270 × 240 × 180 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Grip, 1989
wood, hemp rope, acrylic
261 × 48 × 205 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Grip, 1989
wood, hemp rope, acrylic
261 × 48 × 205 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Cross, 1968/83
wood, hemp rope, stones, fabric, acrylic
250 × 190 × 210 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Cross, 1968/83
wood, hemp rope, stones, fabric, acrylic
250 × 190 × 210 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Altar of Boredom, 1976-1977
wood, two glass bottles, stones, acrylic
135 × 65 × 26 cm
Jerzy Bereś, Altar of Boredom, 1976-1977
wood, two glass bottles, stones, acrylic
135 × 65 × 26 cm
CV 
selected solo exhibitions
2006
- Bunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemporary Art, Kraków, PL
1972
- Södertalje Konsthall, SE
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, DK
1971
- Kunstmuseum Bochum, DE
1966
- Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, PL
1964
- Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
selected group exhibitions
2009
- Gender Check. Femininity and Masculinity in the Art of Eastern Europe, MUMOK, Vienna, AT
2000
- The Art of Eastern Europe in Dialogue with the West, Moderna galerija, Lubliana, SV
1999
- Out of Actions: Between Performance and the Object, 1949-1979, MOCA Los Angeles, US
1998
- Out of Actions: Between Performance and the Object, 1949-1979, Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, JP
- Body and the East, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana, SV
1994
- Klasycy współczesności, National Museum in Warsaw, PL
- Europa, Europa: Das Jahrhundert der Avantgarde in Mittel- und Osteuropa, National Museum, Bonn, DE
1988
- Art at the Edge, Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, UK
- Expressiv. Central European Art since 1960, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, US
1987
- Expressiv. Central European Art since 1960, Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna, AT
1983
- Présences polonaises, Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR
1979
- An Own-Portrait of the Polish People, National Museum in Kraków, PL
1977
- 22 polinische Künstler aus dem Besitz des Muzeum sztuki Łódź, Kölnischer Kunstverein, DE
1975
- Romanticism and Romanticism in Polish art of the 19th and 20th centuries, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, PL
1974
- Polnische Gegenwarts Kunst 1945-1973, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE
- Polnische Gegenwarts Kunst 1945-1973, Kunsthaus Hamburg, DE
1967/68
- 9th Biennale in Sao Paulo, BR
selected performative actions
1968
- Oracle, Foksal Gallery, Warsaw, PL
- Oracle II, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
- Bread Painted Black, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
1972
- Bread Painted in Color, Poetry Bureau Andrzej Partum, Warsaw, PL
Transfiguration I, Art Center, Södertälje, SE
1973
- Transfiguration II, Desa, Kraków, PL
- Transfiguration III. Altar, BWA Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Bid, Pi Gallery, Kraków, PL
1974
- Wooden Pathway, Gruga Park, Essen, DE
- A Beautiful Altar, A Clean Altar, BWA Gallery, Wrocław, PL
- Face Altar, Studio Gallery, Warsaw, PL
1975
- Reflective Mass, Szadkowski’s Metalwork Factory, Kraków, PL
- Erotic Altar, Kawiarnia Klubu Plastyków, Kraków, PL
- Funny Altar, Labirynth Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Honorary Round, Old Town Square in Zamosc, PL
1976
- Bonfire of Art, BWA Gallery, Koszalin, PL
- Altar Sculpture, BWA Gallery, Kraków, PL
- Sincerity Ritual, Na Piętrze Gallery, Łódź, PL
- Existential Ritual, Community centre, Lublin, PL
- Altar of Time, Castle in Świdwin, PL
1977
- Culture Ritual, Student Club Riviera Remont, Warsaw, PL
- Life’s Work, Gallery STU, Kraków, PL
- Art Mass, Pod Jaszczurami Club, Kraków, PL
1978
- Philosopher’s Stone, Labyrinth Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Art Mass, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, PL
- Mass Romantic, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
1979
- Work and Word, Kapel Haus van Bewaring Amsterdam, NL
- Mystery, Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham, the Academy Gallery in Liverpool, Cotes Watermill in Loughborough, Fine Art Dept. University of Technology, Wolverhampton, Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, Kennington Oval House in London, UK
- Opus, Third Eye Center, Glasgow, UK
1981
- Clean Work, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
- A Dialogue with Marcel Duchamp, BWA Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Romantic Manifestation, Main square in Kraków, PL
- Image, Musical Academy, Kraków, PL
1983
- Art and Reality, BWA Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Mass Reflection II, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
1984
- Lecture: The Dispute, BWA Gallery, Lublin, PL
1986
- Lecture: The Dispute II, BWA Gallery, Lublin, PL
- Picture of Poland, Dziekanka Gallery, Warsaw, PL
1988
- A Dialogue with Marcel Duchamp, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford, UK
- An image from Poland, Slaughterhouse Gallery, London, UK
1989
- Shame, Centre for Polish Sculpture, Orońsko, PL
1990
- A Dispute with Marcel Duchamp, Center for Contemporary Art Zamek Ujazdowski, Warsaw, PL
1991
- A Dispute with Ignacy Witkiewicz, BWA Gallery, Koszalin, PL
- A Dispute with Marcel Duchamp, Kunstmuseum Bochum, DE
- A Dialogue with Tadeusz Kantor, Krzysztofory Gallery, Kraków, PL
1993
- Polish Erotic, National Museum in Warsaw, PL
- Presentation of the Living Monument, BWA Gallery, Wrocław, PL
1994
- Challenge, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, PL
- Challenge II, Gallery BWA, Lublin, PL
1995
- Monument Vivant, Gallery Le Lieu, Quebec, CA
- The Last Dispute with Marcel Duchamp, Gallery Language Plus, Alma, 1997 – Challenge IV. Battle with Utopia, Gallery Manhattan, Łódź, PL
1999
- Scream, Museum of Sandomierz, Sandomierz, PL
2012
- Toast II, Contexts. II Ephemeral Art Festival, Sokołowsko, PL
gallery exhibition
- Jerzy Bereś, Sculptures of Wood10.06-30.07.2022
- Jerzy Bereś, Tomasz Mróz24.11.2018–12.01.2019