Images that offend — Tomasz Opania and guests

We invite you to a meeting around Tomasz Opani's book “Moving Images”. The artist and invited guests (Jerzy Kosałka and Krzysztof Zuber) will cite anecdotes related to the presentation or refusal to present works that somehow touch, offend or irritate the audience. In addition to the moral controversies caused by the works shown, we will look at the legal liability for artistic activity.

Tomasz Opania often violated the paragraphs of the Criminal Code in his art — in particular those concerning insulting state symbols (flags, emblems), destroying money and images of religious feelings. We will talk about these violations with the artist and patron Krzysztof Zuber, who will present a legal perspective on the realizations of Opania, balancing on the border of what is permitted. The main idea of the meeting will be the question of the limits of freedom of artistic expression.

Tomasz Opania — born in 1970 in Gliwice. Since 1996 he has been employed at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, where he runs the Studio of Art in Public Space. He deals with sculpture, installation, performance, public space activities, intervention, action and provocation. Sometimes he designs. He builds the tools of art: objects, instruments and inventions. He often collaborates with other artists: with Jerzy Kosałka he creates KOOP, belongs to the international organization Art Speech based in Boston. Initiates original formats of art presentation: Wrocław — entrance from the courtyard, CHWILÓWKA, Przedpole Sztuki. He treats his works as a commentary on current events and the surrounding reality.

Jerzy Kosałka — born in 1955 in Będzin. He graduated from the PWSSP in Wrocław in 1981 in the field of painting, but pursues interdisciplinary activities. He creates objects, builds installations, performs. He is a contributor to the success of the Legendary Luxus Group, to which he belonged. Currently, together with Tomasz Opania, he forms the KOOP group. For five years he has been running a private artistic and social project Galeria U Kosałki.

Krzysztof Zuber — lawyer, professional specialty: intellectual property law. In 2005, “Rzeczpospolita” awarded the title of “Leader of Legal Services in the Field of Intellectual and Industrial Property Law”. Judge of the Higher Disciplinary Court of Advocacy. Lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław. Theatrical creator — in the years 1970-1990 he directed the theater, with which he participated in many national and foreign festivals, including the Theater Festival in Avignon, organized theater festivals and presentations of performances in Wrocław.