Karolina Zglobicka is a contemporary artist born in Poland, who has lived in England before settling in Valencia, Spain. Her diverse journey has profoundly shaped her artistic vision, allowing her to explore the transparent nature of objects and memories. Inspired by themes of displacement, the unfamiliar, and the remnants of the past that individuals carry with them, Karolina delves into the significance of everyday objects in her work.
In her recent paintings, she examines the physicality of these objects, isolating them from their natural environments to emphasize their roles in our memories. These often mundane and overlooked items become central figures in her compositions, reminiscent of staged performances. This isolation highlights the tension between selective memory and pervasive symbolism, while her application of paint captures the fluidity of time and the marks it leaves behind. Through repetitive layers, motifs, and the dissolution of definitive shapes, Karolina challenges the boundaries of figurative painting and theoretical constructs in artistic practice.
Karolina earned her BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the Manchester School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan University, in 2015, following a Foundation Studies program at The Manchester College. She has gained recognition in the art world, having been longlisted for the Jackson’s Painting Prize in 2023 and featured in various editions of Arts In Square magazine. Her participation in notable exhibitions includes The Other Art Fair, the Beep Painting Biennale at Elysium Gallery, and The Manchester Contemporary.
Her work has been shortlisted for multiple awards, including the Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition and the Secret Art Prize. Karolina’s paintings are part of private and gallery collections in the US, Australia, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, and Spain, reflecting her growing influence in contemporary art.