Gabriela Palicka is a talented artist from Katowice, born in 1992. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, she has a deep passion for drawing and printmaking. With a penchant for people in spacesuits and penguins, she creates intriguing compositions that blend different mediums, including collage. In the 13th Biennale of Graphic Arts competition, she received special recognition from the editors of Contemporary Lynx for her project “Nie ma czasów”. Gabriela has many other achievements, including the title of finalist in Hestia’s Artistic Journey competition and exhibiting her works in Poland and abroad. Her artistic journey is characterised by a constant search for new forms of expression and an unwavering passion for creativity.
Magdalena Szczuka: Can you tell us about your background and how it has influenced your art?
Gabriela Palicka: I have a humble background that may not be extraordinary, but it has shaped me uniquely. During my childhood, I was fortunate to have parents who always encouraged and supported my creative side and any other interests I had at the time. One experience that left a lasting impression on me was watching the “making of” documentaries about the Lord of the Rings movies. It was truly impressive how these creative people brought such a fantastic world to life, maybe that’s why I like narrative forms so much.
After finishing art high school, I was disheartened towards making art and decided to explore other paths for a couple of years and embarked on a journey of self-discovery. However, after some soul-searching, I realised that my true passion still lay in creating art. I appreciate contact with all the inspiring and supportive people during my time at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, it indeed had an impact on who I am today as a creator.
MSZ: You work primarily in drawing and printmaking. What draws you to these mediums, and how do you approach your creative process when working with them?
GP: Weirdly, my impatience is something that draws me to them. Drawing and digital printing allow me to immediately see the effect, unlike, let’s say, multi-step graphic techniques, such as intaglio. When it comes to my creative process, it typically follows one of two paths:
The first path begins with finding a theme or topic that intrigues me. I delve into research, seeking to understand it fully and then find the most fitting form to express it. I find this satisfying if the form clicks with the topic. One project that I’m particularly proud of is my graduation project—a book about Antarctica. It is “made” of interesting facts about the continent, each accompanied by a latitude coordinate and an illustration. It begins with the northernmost location and ends at the South Pole, with the pages in between intentionally left empty, saves for the coordinates. This intentional design creates a physically heavy object that symbolises the vast emptiness of the continent.
Regarding the second path, I often start with an enthusiastic visual idea that sparks my imagination and feels incredibly captivating in the moment. I just dive right into creating the artwork, resulting in plenty of versions, alterations, and struggles that could have probably been avoided had I spent more time on the initial sketching and planning phase.
MSZ: You mention in your biography that you always seek new means of expression. Can you tell us any new directions you are exploring in your art?
GP: I am currently learning how to use the Arduino platform – I hope that sooner or later, this will result in some interactive artwork. In addition, I plan to make some short animations. The last time, I worked with this medium was during my studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Katowice. After that, I held the viewer position for a long time, and was a programmer and curator of the animation section at the Ars Independent Festival in Katowice.
MSZ: One of your projects is a simulation that portrays the three billionaires stranded on an alien planet with no option to return to Earth. How do you think this scenario would play out in real life?
GP: I wish my answer could be a funny one. But, in reality, it would be framed as a heroic effort to survive during a crucial mission for humanity, despite the whole situation being nothing more than a vanity project. The last time I checked with my billionaire “friends”, they seemed content with each other’s company and had no interest in contacting neighbouring aliens. In fact, a broken sink turned out to be a real crisis for them. This whole project feels like a joke, an expression of wishful thinking. I can’t help but find the billionaires’ space race equally pathetic (in a funny way) and oddly terrifying. Based on my friends’ reactions to this artwork, everyone would ask: “What about Grimes?”
MSZ: According to your picturebook ‘Nie Ma Czasów”, what role do you believe artists have in raising awareness about climate change and the environment?
GP: In my opinion, the role of fine arts is marginal. Activists, educators, and nature documentary filmmakers have a much greater long-term influence on the public compared to artists. Audiences visiting art galleries usually already hold their own opinions on the topic at hand. However, on the other hand, I believe that children’s book creators play a significant role in educating young generations about various important topics, including our relationship with nature.
Many art galleries, museums, and art events receive support from big corporations or individuals who actively contribute to the climate crisis problem. Plenty of people possess the knowledge about the climate crisis and could truly make a difference, whether through lobbying, creating new policies, or changing their business models. However, these individuals seem to prioritize money or power over taking meaningful action.
MSZ: Where does your sympathy towards penguins come from?
GP: The real question is: how can you not like them?
I’ve always had a fondness for penguins. During my studies, I came up with an idea for a crime noir comic book featuring a penguin private detective (although I still haven’t mustered the motivation to finish the script).
While researching for my graduation project, I found intriguing penguin-related fun facts. One such fact is that in 2014, a supercolony of Adelie penguins was discovered. Scientists spotted guano stains on satellite images, which led them to the Danger Islands—home to 1.5 million penguins.
MSZ: How do you envision your art evolving, and what are some of your long-term goals as an artist?
GP: I want to delve deeper into the topic of Antarctica. It’s an incredibly fascinating continent that gives me a sense of otherworldly vibes. How humans interact with it feels like an expedition on an alien planet, surrounded by icy landscapes that remain indifferent to our presence. There are numerous captivating dichotomies to explore there—the harsh yet delicate environment, the connection between the past (as Antarctica’s ice stores historical information about our environment) and the future (with research focused on space exploration), and the isolated space that brings people together.
I don’t have anything specific in mind regarding long-term goals or vision. My main desire is to find more time to dedicate to creating art and learning new things.
I have one long-term project in progress—a picture book combining a maze with a hidden object puzzle. The central theme revolves around seven scientists searching for seven scientific objects, with the obligatory underwater level that seems to be a staple in adventure games. Considering my current drawing pace, you might want to mark your calendars for 2033, as that’s when I should have it completed.
