Natalja UP CLOSE: trio in satin Photograph

WHO AM I… Born in Poland (1972) for the past half of my life I have been living and making art in Amsterdam (NL). I am a recipient of the Prix de Rome, the most prestigious art award in the Netherlands for my book LISTEN®. My distinct visual language, which I call IMAGE POETRY, is rooted in the collision between my Eastern European heritage and the Western worldview. I developed and refined my artistic vision during my studies at the Rietveld Academy (BA, Amsterdam) and Goldsmiths College (MA London). WHAT I DO… My ART is BOOKS & PROJECTS. My creative process employs FILM, ANIMATION, ILLUSTRATION, and PHOTOGRAPHY, while embracing compulsive collecting, documenting, translation, and transformation in my projects. My art often involves dressing-up and performance, where I try to create a unique personal universe of expression. My books range from small zines such as SEXY, to oversized coffee-table books as LINGERIE QUEEN, and graphic novels like UNDERWORLD. In 2023, I published JOYCE’S ELEPHANTS an illustrated tribute to a world-renowned nature conservationist. That same year DAD. THE FINAL SEASON, a limited edition golden silk-screened book, pushed the boundaries of classic hand-printed technique. In 2024 my giant flipbook THE MUTOSCOPE, a powerful example of storytelling, received the People’s Choice Award, at the CBK Zuidoost Summer Salon art festival. Currently I am developing projects: KITTY SALON CARE and a series of AI-inspired paintings titled NAN+ANGRY+SWEATER+YELLOW.