About

Piotr Marek was born in Kraków in 1950, where he lived and worked until his death in 1985. His father was a well-known Kraków-based sculptor and professor, while his mother was a respected art conservator.

Piotr Marek was a versatile artist. He worked in painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, performance art, fashion, and music. He was a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and lyricist. He also created self-built instruments as well as various devices and effects that led him to a unique and timeless sound. His final original musical and performative project was the legendary band Düpą.

In all the fields of art he practiced, Piotr Marek was a perfectionist, but above all he was a person curious about new phenomena and an open-minded observer who approached everything with a sense of distance. Thanks to this, the quality of his work has a timeless and unprecedented dimension in terms of pioneering spirit and courage. He was a rebel and a provocateur who approached the material of his expression with remarkable humility.

Despite the unfavorable conditions of life and artistic work in the People’s Republic of Poland, Piotr Marek was a very prolific artist. In 1971, he was accepted into the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) as the youngest member in history, even though he did not hold the required formal qualifications. His paintings were purchased by art dealers from all over Western Europe. To this day, a large portion of Piotr Marek’s paintings remain abroad in private collections.

Apart from a few small exhibitions, 40 years after his death, Piotr Marek has still not been given a major retrospective exhibition, which we aim to change in Lublin by bringing his work as widely to the public as possible. At the Gardzienice Gallery throughout July, visitors will be able to see paintings and graphic works by Piotr Marek as well as the visual legacy connected with the artistic output and activity of the band Düpą. The exhibition will also feature unique video materials, photographs, and documents from the band’s period of activity, as well as original recordings presented as sound installations.

The exhibition titled “Zemsta Hegara” is curated by Mikołaj Kownacki – a musician and visual artist, member of the band Pop Magic – the label that released the Düpą album (2025), son of Krzysztof Kownacki – a friend and collaborator of Piotr Marek.

Details

When:
The exhibition is available from July 2 to 31, 2026
Opening: July 3, 2026, 15:00
During the festival: July 2-5, 10:00-18:00
After the festival: Monday-Friday, 10:00-18:00, and selected weekends

Where: Gardzienice Gallery, Grodzka 5a
Admission free