Leszek Sobocki (b. 1934, Częstochowa), "Zigaretten fabrik," 1974

Condition
unframed

Biography
Leszek Sobocki is a Krakow-based painter, graphic artist, poet and essayist. From 1953 to 1956 he studied at the Department of Propaganda Graphics in Katowice. From 1956 to 1959 he studied at the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, where he defended his diploma in the studio of Waclaw Taranczewski. He continued his education at the Department of Directing at the State Higher School of Theater and Film in Lodz until 1960. In 1965, together with Maciej Bieniasz, Zbylut Grzywacz and Jacek Waltos, he founded the Wprost group. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Prix d'achat of the 8th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphics (1962), the 1st Prize of the Ministry of Culture and Art in the painting section at the 6th Warsaw Art Festival (1976), the Grand Prix of the Winter Salon "Hommage Wyspiański" TPSP in Cracow (1978) or the Grand Prix of the 2nd National Triennial "Presentation of Contemporary Portrait" in Radom (1981). His work is considered one of the most original among Polish post-war painting. Referring to the tradition of ancient art, Sobocki depicted the complex, existential status of man in the context of current social and political problems at the time. The artist's work is inscribed in the current of New Figuration, which emerged from a realistic form tinged with biographical motifs and a firm critical stance.