Profile

Since her childhood, Weronika has nurtured an enduring interest in art and textiles, such as knitting, embroidery, crochet, and most recently, rug hooking and punch needle. Learning how to mend clothes and create new ones echoes as a shared experience in many Eastern European households, where the culture of austerity that surrounded the Soviet Union persists to this day. She learned the basics in schools and from her grandmother. Since then, working with her hands has been a reflective and grounding practice.

Weronika’s first introduction to weaving occurred in the historic Palace of Culture in Warsaw, a symbolic gift from Stalin to Poland. As a self-taught artist, she values the accessibility of her tapestries, from materials and techniques to imagery and aesthetics. The loom Weronika works on was made by herself from a discarded pallet found on the road, and as an object, it holds significance of its own, with uneven screws and Pokémon cards stuck in the crevices. The materials used are most often yarns found in charity shops and market stalls because of the charms of their uniqueness. Her work also features upcycled materials made from unusable clothes and, most recently, hand-dyed yarns from foraged plants.

Inspired by the intricate interplay of personal, dysfunctional, and intimate moments, Weronika’s creations are born from her surroundings. The fragile thematic she tries to convey is juxtaposed by the kitsch colours and rudimentary tools. Within this, and with the acknowledgment of the complex world we live in, her beliefs are strongly centred around joie de vivre, empathy, and not being too serious about the way one lives.

Visually, she is inspired by the Polish school of posters with her use of bright colours and standout imagery. She does not identify with the label of an artist, and much less with the label of fine art. The creative process she embarks on usually features a collaborative sharing of ideas and rough, quick drawings in a sketchbook while at the local pub or park. The process uniquely features an utmost lack of seriousness and thought, which is a representation of the artist’s consciousness and internal processes.