BIO
Ligia Popławska is a photographer and art historian based in Antwerp, Belgium. Her work explores themes of senses, emotional states and human impact on environment, climate crisis and the Anthropocene. By incorporating speculative documentary and magical realism into her photographic series, she narrates stories which fuse reality with fiction. With a deep interest in natural phenomena, art history and sciences, her research-based work rise questions about human and more-than-human conditions.
Graduated with MFA and BFA in Photography from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and BA in Art History from the University of Gdańsk. Recipient of Decade of Change 2022 Series Award by 1854 British Journal of Photography, PhMuseum Days 2021 Award and Photography Prize 2020 funded by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. Laureate of .tiff 2022 and member of FUTURES Photography nominated by FOMU Fotomuseum Antwerpen. Recipient of a scholarship for Emerging Talents from the Flemish Government. Popławska exhibited at FOMU (Antwerp), De Brakke Grond (Amsterdam), Helsinki Photo Festival, InCadaques Photo Festival, among others.
Ligia Popławska works as a photographer in the field of product, architecture, fashion and portrait photography. In 2021-2023 she was a guest professor teaching photography at the Jewellery Design Department, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. She was co-creating platform Intimate Structures.
CONTACT
ligiapoplawska@gmail.com
@ligiapoplawska
Artistic and commercial portfolio available upon request.
Prints available via direct contact.
AWARDS
2022 Emerging Talents Scholarship, Flemish Government
2022 1st Prize Recipient, Decade of Change Series Award 2022, 1854 British Journal of Photography
2022 Finalist, Helsinki Photo Festival
2022 FUTURES Photography, nominated by FOMU
2022 Selection .tiff 2022, FOMU Fotomuseum Antwerpen
2021 1st Prize Recipient, PhMuseum Days 2021 Open Call Award
2020 Finalist New Talents, Photographic Exploration Project
2020 Photography Prize, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
LECTURES & TEACHING
- 2021 - 2023: Photography course (1BA - MA) at the Department Jewellery Design & Gold- and silversmithing, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
- 2022: British Journal of Photography 1854, New Narratives. Decade of Change: Documenting the Climate Crisis hosted by Zoe Harrison, online
- 2021: ‘What happens if we lose our senses? Ligia Popławska talks about Solastalgia’, PhMuseum Days 2021, Bologna, Italy (2021)
- 2020: ‘Visual Storytelling Beyond Anthropocene: Geert Goiris and ‘World Without Us’’, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium (2020)
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Current:
ACTS OF EMPATHY
Bienal'23 Fotografia do Porto
solo exhibition ‘Fading Senses, Sensitive Territories’
Salut au Monde!
Rua de Santos Pousada 620
4000-480 Porto
Portugal
20 May - 1 July 2023
Past:
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Acts of Empathy - Fading Senses, Sensitive Territories, Bienal’23 Fotografia do Porto, Salut au Monde!, Porto
2021 Fading Senses, PhMuseum Days 2021 International Photography Festival, Bologna
2020 Fading Senses, St. Vincents, Antwerp
2020 Fading Senses, Marcel Nies Gallery, Antwerp
Group Exhibitions
2022 Decade of Change, 1854 British Journal of Photography, InCadaqués Photo Festival
2022 .tiff 2022 Emerging Belgian Photography, De Brakke Grond Amsterdam
2022 Helsinki Photo Festival, The National Museum of Finland
2022 Decade of Change, 1854 British Journal of Photography, Belfast Photo Festival
2022 .tiff 2022 Emerging Belgian Photography, FOMU Fotomuseum Antwerp
2021 Foto Wien/European Month of Photography, Vienna
2021 Imago Lisboa/European Month of Photography, Lisbon
2021 XLVI Space, Photo Open Up, Padua
2021 Casino Luxemberg, European Month of Photography
2020 New Talents 2020, B-Part Gallery, Berlin
2020 Masters Expo 2020, hosted by FOMU, Antwerp
2020 Masters Expo 2020, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
2020 The Billboard Project: De Quarantaine Editie, Antwerp
2020 Oude Beurs, Antwerp
2018 Missing Mathilde: On the Representation of Women in Public Space, Antwerp
PUBLICATIONS & PRESS
2022 FUTURES Photography ― Futures Annual Publication
2022 FOMU FotoMuseum Antwerp ― .tiff 2022 magazine
2020 Photographic Exploration Project ― New Talents 2020
Online
2022 Velvet Eyes ― Fading Senses by Ligia Popławska (interview)
2022 De Brakke Grond Amsterdam ― Experts Talking: Kaat Somers
2022 De Brakke Grond Amsterdam ― .TIFF 2022
2022 Sound of Life ― 10 Young Photographers To Keep An Eye On
2022 Belfast Photo Festival ― Decade of Change
2022 Helsinki Photo Festival ― Winners Open Call ‘Believe’
2022 1854 British Journal of Photography ― Decade of Change 2022: The Winners
2022 1854 British Journal of Photography ― Winners Decade of Change 2022 Photography Awards
2022 FOMU Fotomuseum Antwerpen ― .TIFF 2022 Emerging Belgian Photography
2022 PhMuseum ― Ligia Popławska On Exhibiting at the PhMuseum Days
2021 C 41 Magazine ― Ligia Popławska explains solastalgia and sensory deprivation
2021 1854 British Journal of Photography ― Identities, realities, and space: XLVI launches a graduate exhibition
2021 PhMuseum Days ― Fading Senses
2021 PhMuseum ― Fabiola Cedillo, Ligia Poplawska and Samuel Fordham Will Exhibit at PhMuseum Days 2021
2021 PhMuseum ― PhMuseum Days 2021 Open Call Winners Announced
2021 Decalogue Magazine ― Ligia Popławska
2020 PhMuseum ― Picks 2020: PhMuseum Editors’ Top Projects of 2020, PhMuseum
2020 Desired Spaces ― Future Scenarios for an (Un-)Build Environment: Spaces of Seclusion and Collectiveness, Desired Spaces
FEATURES
1 Granary 1854 British Journal of Photography AD Architectural Digest Art Viewer C 41 Magazine Current Obsession DAMN Magazine Decalogue Magazine Design Anthology UK Desired Spaces De Standaard De Witte Raaf HART HYPEBEAST I-D Vice Ideat China Leibal Milk Decoration PhMuseum PhMuseum Days RUM Subbacultcha Superfuture The Design Edit VOGUE Italia
SELECTED CLIENTS
Acrai, Aeduire, Base Alpha Gallery, Bertrand Lejoly, Context, DIDU, fivetimesone, Gent University, Graanmarkt 13, Libraryman, Orient Express, Paf Atelier, St. Vincents, Somekind Studio, Valerie Objects, Valerie Traan Gallery, Woche, Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture
