Grzegorz Stec

Grzegorz Stec – b. in 1955 in Kraków, in 1981 he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. He had over 70 individual exhibitions in major art galleries in Poland and abroad (USA, Sweden, Germany, France). In the years 1995–2009, he exhibited mainly in the USA (Chicago and New York). His paintings were presented at individual exhibitions in Polish diplomatic missions: at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York (2008), at the Polish Institute in Leipzig (2014), at the Berlin Gallery Abakus with the participation of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Institute in Berlin (2015), and also at The Kosciuszko Foundation in New York (2009), where for the first time the works of a contemporary artist were hung next to outstanding masters of Polish painting. Most recently, he participated in Art Capital at the Grand Palais Ephemere in Paris (2023). TVP made a film about his work, I am tormented by the smell of black (1991, dir. Cezary Nowicki). In 2019, Stec celebrated the 40th anniversary of his work, on this occasion, under the patronage of the Mayor of the City of Krakow, a bilingual album of the artist was released: "Grzegorz Stec - Malarstwo - Paintings - Czterdziestolecia", Krakow 2019. Stec is also a poet, he published two volumes of poetry: " No one here is looking for answers”, Kraków 1999, “Melencolia”, Kraków 2007.

The artist occupies a separate place in contemporary art, between figurative art and abstraction, which can be called visionary art, taking up universal content. He developed his own painting technique, his paintings are recognizable, despite the variety of themes, forms and formats he practices. Critics call him a master of light and an outstanding colorist. He is also the creator of unique black oil paintings.