Ryszard Wozniak (b. 1956, Bialystok), "A retard, a strange land, a genius" from the series "Step back", 1993

Origins
private collection, Poland

Biography
Studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts in the painting studio of S. Gierowski (graduated in 1981). Since 1982 associated with Gruppa, participated in almost all its exhibitions and actions, co-edited its magazine "Oj dobrze już". In 1987, he won first prize at the Second Youth Biennial "Way and Truth" in Wroclaw. In 1985-1989 (intermittently), together with M. Sobczyk, he worked on the polychromy of the Neo-Nicene Orthodox Church in Kostomłoty, Podlasie. In 1986, together with R. Grzyb, he was on scholarship in West Berlin. In 1991/92 he taught at the private School of Art in Warsaw, founded and run by J. Modzelewski and M. Sobczyk. Since 1992, he has been running a painting studio at the Institute of Art Education at the WSP in Zielona Gora. In his work from the 1980s, one can find a commentary on the reality of the People's Republic of Poland ("New Wave popierdala"), he also creates expressive works in strong colors. At the end of the 1980s, a symbolic and metaphorical current emerges in his paintings. In the 1990s, he participates in numerous performances and installations.