Pawel Mendrek

Vienna, Austria

»My works are not about the thematisation of reality, but rather about the specific thematisation of interpretation of reality.«

Pawel Mendrek is a visual artist, curator, art director, production designer and film producer based in Vienna. His practice includes mixed media works, storytelling and moving image experiments, set and exhibition design and production of collective projects. Besides he is an Associate Professor, Head of Faculty of Intermedia and Scenography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice and guest lecture at Chelsea College of Arts in London.

Currently he is investigating and working on the subject of identity and reflects his own identity being torn between his professional, international practice and his Polish origins. Through development of the Parallax project between Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice Chelsea College of Arts London, Valand Academy Gothenburg and Plymouth University, he takes an opportunity to discuss issues concerning the role of the art academy and the educational processes it involves itself in.

Mendrek’s work is broad and includes diverse techniques such as practice research and mixing technique experiments. Mendrek’s material of choice is paper so his range of works combines painting, photography, drawing, objects and collages. By overcoming those borders of those genres, he is redefining his artistic vision. Multiple study programs and academic mentors in Vienna and San Francisco influenced his techniques.

Pawel Mendrek has exhibited nationally and internationally including group shows at Museum of Applied Arts Vienna, Kunstlerhaus Vienna, Museum of Art, Taiwan, Sienna Art Institute in Italy, Kronika Gallery Bytom, BWA Gallery in Cracow and Bielsko-Biala and as well in Mill&Short Gallery in San Francisco. He has been nominated for various art prices such as the Grand Prix International Biennale of Digital Graphic Art, Gdynia, the Grand Award of Academy of Art Collage in San Francisco and the Strabag Art Award. With Malgorzata Szandala and Ewa Zasada he is a member of Travel Agency Art Collective that realizes nomadic exhibitions and actions. Currently he is represented by the Loft Acht Gallery.

Pawel Mendrek, 2018

Collection

Ritual Paths

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from € 580 to 890

The "Ritual Paths" exhibition at Gallery Loft Acht in Vienna centers on the phenomenon of ritual dance—a practice that, for centuries, has straddled the boundary between pathological aberration, mystical rite, and cultural spectacle. In various ceremonies, dance served as a catalyst, releasing surplus energy and alleviating the tension of its participants. Across diverse traditions, it manifested not only as a codified set of protective gestures but also as a symbol of metamorphosis—a […]

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Pawel Mendrek, 2018-2023

Collection

Ariadne

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from € 580 to 990

In the past, hair was identified with the soul, and ritual haircutting served as a method of transformation. In this exhibition, hair becomes both the subject and a tool for measuring time—a medium through which the forms of corporeal coexistence are shaped. It delineates the boundaries of our physical existence, while its hybrid tangles capture frozen reflections of emotional states and passions.

Ariadne revolves around the themes of estrangement and alienation. It draws inspiration from […]

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Pawel Mendrek, 2023

Collection

Archeologies of the Fiction Stories

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from € 450 to 890

This multi-layered series explores the theme of utopia and utopian thought, bridging the public and private spheres while infusing a subtly futuristic vision of the world. It delves into the metaphorical relationships among its elements, revealing that the endurance of systems—each bearing a vestige of utopia slowly eroded by life’s rapid currents—is ultimately ephemeral. In the words of Zygmunt Bauman, “u-via” replaces “u-topia,” reflecting the collapse of long-term thinking inherent in the […]

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