Born in 1959 in Pabianice. In the years 1980-1986 he was associated with the Łódź artistic community. In 1988 he moved to Warsaw. Since 2006, he has been leading a nomadic lifestyle: in 2006 he lived and worked in Greece, then for two semesters at the turn of 2008 and 2009 he ran a guest studio at the Academy of Fine Arts (AVU) in Prague.
One of the most recognizable Polish contemporary artists. He is the author of objects, installations, videos, video installations, photographs, and multimedia activities. He began his artistic activity in the early 1980s, referring to current political events. In December 1981, in response to the imposition of martial law, he designed leaflets and posters against the events at the Wujek mine. He also printed leaflets for “Solidarity”. In the spring of 1982, he had his first individual exhibition at the Lodz attic, in the fall he was arrested by the Security Service and sentenced to a year and a half in prison for preparing and distributing anti-regime prints. This period is considered to be formative for his creative personality. After he was released from prison, in 1983-1986, he joined the activities of the Lodz Drop Culture, a spontaneous initiative by artists from all over Poland and abroad, centered around the Lodz Loft. At that time, the first video works were created: “Intimate Rites” (1984), “Mystical Perseverance” (1984), “How to Train Girls” (1987). At the end of the 1980s, while living with Zofia Kulik and Przemysław Kwiek for two years, he participated in many of Zofia Kulik’s works, posing for her photographs. In the nineties, his earlier work was considered pioneering towards the so-called critical art, and he himself was referred to as the “father of critical art”. He started exhibiting in galleries, and his works met with a great response. Libera then began creating sculptures and objects. It was then that, among others, the works “Christus ist mein Leben” (1990), “Kąpielowicz” (1991). Referring to his 1987 film “How to Train Girls”, in the mid-90s he created a series of fictional toys for children, used to “train” and teach specific behaviors in their assigned gender and social roles. The most famous work, and at the same time causing a lot of media hype, is the work from 1994 “Lego. Concentration Camp ”, which consists of a series of photographs and packages of Lego blocks, which the artist suggested to build a concentration camp. In the early 2000s, Libera began to make his photographic series, “Positives” (2002-2003), “Masters” (2004) and the series “The Gay, Innocent and Heartless”, presented in the exhibition space of the Profile Foundation in 2008, which was accompanied by original book of the same title. Since 2010, with the help of the Profile Foundation, he has been implementing the project “Reality is flat”, which is a study of the relationship between the two- and three-dimensional space. One of its effects was the exhibition presented in 2010 at the headquarters of the Profile Foundation.
Selected individual exhibitions:
2021
Metric Measures and the Unicorn, 66P, Poznań
2020
The Latest Contraception of Documentary Photography, MCSW Elektrownia, Radom
2015
It’s Not My Fault That This Sculpture Rubbed Against Me, Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture, Warsaw
2014
Judgement Night, Labirynt Gallery, Lublin (with Roee Rosen)
2013
The Flat Reality, Atlas Sztuki, Lodz
Wojna:obrazy martwe i ruchome, Państwowa Galeria Sztuki, Warszawa
Positive, Kraszewski Museum, Dresden
2010
Reality is Flat, Profile Foundation, Warsaw
Zbigniew Libera. Works from 1982 – 2008, BWA, Wroclaw
2009
Zbigniew Libera. Works from 1982 – 2008, Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
2008
The Gay, Innocent and the Heartless, Profile Foundation, Warsaw
La Vue, Fotografická galerie Fiducia, Ostrava
Masters and Positives, BWA Gallery, Zielona Góra
2007
Photographs, Galerie Krinzinger, Wien
Pozitivy, Stredoeurópsky dom fotografie, Bratislava
2006
Work From 1984–2004, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Photography, Raster Gallery, Warsaw
Nouvelles impressions d’Afrique, Galerie Anne de Villepoix, Paris
Ce que fait E’Stafette, L’Institut Polonais, Paris (& Darek Foks, trans. Erik Veaux, Onestarpress)
Pozytivy, Polsky Institut, Praha
2005
Masters and Positives, Polish Institute, Sofia
What is the Messenger Girl Doing, Kronika, Bytom (& Darek Foks, Ars Cameralis)
2004
Masters and Positives, Atlas Sztuki art gallery, Łódź; PGS, Sopot; BWA Awangarda Gallery, Wrocław; Municipal Gallery Arsenał , Poznań; Biblioteka Płockiego Towarzystwa Naukowego, Płock Positives, Casino Luxembourg; Gallerie RLBQ, Marseille; Gallerie Danysz, Paris
2000
The Other Type of Prison, American-European Art Associates, New York
1998
Correct Me If I’m Wrong, Guy Mc Intyre Gallery, New York
1997
Correct Me If I’m Wrong, Galleri Wang, Oslo; Galleri Faurschou, København
1996
Corrective Facilities, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
1993
Prace z powietrzem i elektrycznością, ZPAP Galeria na Mazowieckiej, Warszawa
1992
Prace z powietrzem i elektrycznością, Laboratorium Gallery, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
1990
Teatr Studio Gallery, Lodz
1989
Video. Rysunki. Obiekty, Graodyka BWA, Lublin
2021
On Paper, Profile Foundation, Warsaw
Private Exhibition, Asymetria Gallery, Warsaw
Kens’ aunt, lokal_30, Warsaw
Sculpture in Search of a Place, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
2020
Theft and Destruction, Arsenal Gallery, Białystok
2019
FOGHORN. The theme of the transformation in works from collection II od Arsenal Gallery , Arsenal Gallery, Białystok
Body works. exhibition and incidents, State Art Gallery , Sopot
Trip, BWA, Wrocław
Empty Signifier / archive, Wolskie Centrum Kultury, Warsaw
Polish Hospitality, MWW, Wrocław
Private Mythologies. Martha’s Birthday – Permament Exhibioton from the Contemporary Art Collection From Wrocław Contemporary Museum , MWW, Wrocław
2018
Czym jest Oświecenie? 200 lat Gabinetu Rycin BUW, Muzeum nad Wisłą, Warsaw
MEDITATIONS OF FIBONACCI + the corduroy bunny| facing Katarzyny Kobro (1898-1951), MWW, Wrocław
World peace begins at the family table, ZAMEK Culture Centre, Poznań
Niepodległe. Women, Independance and National Discourse, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw
2017
From Artificial reality to a selfie. Self-portrait in the art of contemporary Polish artists, BWA, galeria Awangarda, Wrocław
Art Fairs COSMOSCOW, Gostiny Dvor, Moscow
Black spring. On Wrocław’s independent music scene of the 1980s. , MWW, Wrocław
The Finger- A collaboration between RawArt Gallery, Tel Aviv and Raster Gallery, Raw Art Gallery, Tel Aviv
Retouch, Galeria Duża Scena UAP, Poznań
Teraźniejszość? , Contemporary Art Gallery, Opole
2016
Z głębi. Artyści Muzeum Śląskiemu, Muzeum Śląskie, Katowice
Activities with family, Raster Gallery , Warsaw
In the Light of the 20th Century Avant , Atlas Sztuki, Lodz
It’s getting better and even better? The presentation of Kolekcja II, Arsenal Gallery, Białystok
Niesamoświadome. Muzeum Archeologiczne jako pełen niespodzianek i przygodności kosmos rzeczy, zdarzeń, ludzi i nie-ludzi, Muzeum Archeologiczne, Cracow
Salon Odrzuconych, Państwowa Galeria Sztuki, Sopot
Bread and Roses. Artist and the Class Divide, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw
Wyświetlanie widzenia, Galeria Salon Akademii, Warsaw
Intermarium, Futura Gallery, Prague
Medicine in Art, MOCAK, Cracow
Illegibility. Palimpsests, Muzeum Pana Tadeusza, Wrocław
Scuff Mark on Eyelid, BWA Contemporary Art Gallery, Katowice
L’arte differente: MOCAK al MAXXI, MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Art, Rome
2015
Wyspa 3.0. Mapa i terytorium, Wyspa Institute of Art, Gdańsk
Stance or Distance? , Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto
The Wild West. A history of Wrocław’s avant-garde, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
Ruchome obrazy, BWA Contemporary Art Gallery , Wrocław
Poland – Israel – Germany: The Experience of Auschwitz, MOCAK, Cracow
State of Life. Polish Contemporary Art within a Global Circumstance, National Art Museum of China, Pekin
Sammlung Dr. Werner Jerke. Eine Auswahl, Atlas Sztuki, Lodz
Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
Gender in art, MOCAK, Cracow
Ars Moriendi/Sztuka umierania, BWA Tarnów, Tarnów
Vertical Reach, Art Space, New Haven
Umenie na hlave. Poľské súčasné umenie / Procedures for the Polish Art Today, Kunsthalle Bratislava
2014
Progress and Hygiene, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art , Warsaw
Grażyna Kulczyk Collection. Everybody is Nobody for Somebody, Fundacion Banco Santander, Madrid
2013
Freelancer, Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
2011
Zbigniew Libera Open Form Studio, tranzitdisplay, Prague
History in art, MOCAK, Cracow
The Power of Fantasy, Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR), Brussels
2010
Ostatni film. Artyści o porażkach swoich i swojej galerii, Raster Gallery, Warsaw
Wyjście ludzi z miast, CSW Kronika, Bytom
Dziewięć tytułów, BWA Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra
Nothing important, is just art, The National Brukenthal Museum, Sibiu
Case for reoccurrence of child illnesses, Karlin Studios, Prague
Minimal Differences, White Box, New York City, NY
Powtórka z Teorii Widzenia, CSW Center of Contemporary Art, Warsaw
Na okrągło: 1989 – 2009, Wyspa Institute of Art, Gdańsk
I Could Live in Africa, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw
Press Art , Sammlung Annette und Peter Nobel, Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg
Agents & Provocateurs, Hartware MedienKunstVerein, Dortmund
Neighbours/ Nachbarn. German motifs in contemporary Polish art, Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej Łaźnia, Gdańsk
Sukienka, Zamek Culture Center, Poznań
Early Years, Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art , Berlin
Morality ACT IV: I could live in Africa, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam
Gender Check, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
2009
The Hidden Decade, Polish video art 1985 – 1995, Bunkier Sztuki, Cracow
Storia Memoria Identità: fotografia contemporanea dall’Est Europa, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena, Modena
Sukienka, Mazovian Centre of Contemporary Art Elektrownia, Radom
Agents & Provocateurs, Institute of Contemporary Art, Dunaújvàros, Dunaujvaros
Gender Check. Rollenbilder in der Kunst Osteuropas, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Wien
Performance Art of the 80’s Comparision: Jiri Kovanda, Hassan Sharif, Zbigniew Libera, Tina B. The Prague Contemporary Art Festival 09, Praha Crossing Frontiers, Galeria hlavního mêsta Prahy, Prague
Ohne Uns!, Prager Spitze, Dresden
The social critique 1993-2005, Kalmar Konstmuseum, Kalmar
Interwencje, National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw
Gone to Croatan, Center of Contemporary Art in Torun, Torun
Heroes’ Peak, Bunkier Sztuki, Cracow
Na okrągło: 1989 – 2009, Hala Stulecia, Wrocław
Weltpanorama, 6 Biennale Fotografii. Fotografia/ideologia/polityka, Poznań
The Charm of Power (on dispersed power, ideology and seeing), Arsenał Municipal Gallery, Poznań
Agent Absurd, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast Wasser und Wein, Der Katholische Faktor in der zeitgenössischen Kunst, Städtischen Galerie Leerer Beutel, Regensburg
43 zagrebački salon. Primijenjene umjetnosti i dizjan, Zagreb
Fotojam, Dům pánů z Kunštátu, Brno
2008
Mediation Biennale 08, Mediation Biennale, Poznań
Big Boys’ Games, Gallery Appendix2, Warsaw
Demons. Contemporary Artists from Poland and Israel and the Spirits of the Time, MoBy, Bat Yam, Israel
Points of Reference, National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw
Regarde de tous tes yeux, regarde, L’art contemporain de Georges Perec, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes
Babylon. Mythos Und Wahrheit, Pergamonmuseum, Berlin
Przełóż to: Kolekcja niemożliwa, Wyspa Institute of Art , Gdańsk
The Red Eye Effect. Polish Photography in the 21st Century, Ujazdowski Castle Center of Contemporary Art, Warsaw
Opowiedziane inaczej, Centre of the Contemporary Art Laznia, Gdańsk and Ujazdowski Castle Center of Contemporary Art, Warsaw
International Triennale of Contemporary Art – Re-Reading the Future, International Triennale of Contemporary Art (ITCA), Prague
Lost Paradise – The Angel’s Gaze, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern
Ad Absurdum, MARTa Herford Museum of Art and Design, Herford
Raster. Transfert Gallerie Polacche a Roma 3, Instituto Polacco di Roma
Medium…Post…Mortem…,Bałtycka Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej, Słupsk
History Will Repeat Itself, Ujazdowski Castle Center of Contemporary Art, Warsaw
All that Cinema, Ludwig Museum. Ludwig Múzeum – Kortárs Művészeti Múzeum, Budapest
2007
Artyści polecają się nawzajem, Gallery Appendix2, Warsaw
Depression, Arsenal Gallery Białystok
Wit and the Power of Judgement (Asteizm in Poland),Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
Attitude 2007. The House of Human Beings – Authentically Blessed Jubilance, Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto
Lego, Space, Bratislava
Bodycheck, 10. Triennale Kleinplastik, Fellbach
Nachbarn. Deutche Motive in Polnischer Gegenwartskuntm, Kulturforum Altona, Hamburg
The Lost Moment, Gesellschaft für Künstlerische Forschung, Berlin
History Repeats Itself, Hartware MedienKunstVerein, Dortmund; Kunstwerke Berlin
Mamidło. Women as saturated phenomenon, Galeria Program, Warsaw
Chodź opowiem ci pewną historię, Galeria Manhattan, Łodz
2006
Post modelism, Bergen Kunsthalle, Bergen Geschichten, Geschichte, Fotomuseum, Winterthur
Photo-Trafic, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva
Is it better to be a good artist or a good person?, Rental Gallery (Raster), Los Angeles
Bad News, Galeria Kronika, Bytom
Manipulations. On Economies of Deceit, Prague Biennale II, National Gallery, Prague
Hot/Cold. Summer Loving, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
The 80’s. A Topology, Museu Serralves, Porto
2005
Mentality, Biennale 2006, Łodz
Broniewski, Raster Gallery, Warsaw
Second Present, Trafo Gallery, Budapest
Post-modellismus, Models in Art, Krinzinger Projekte, Wien
Peinture d’histoire(s): Astrid Klein, Marta Rosler, Zbigniew Libera, Gallerie Anne de Villepoix, Paris
Prague Biennale 2, Národní galerie, Prague
Strażnicy doków, Wyspa Institute of Art, Gdańsk
Sicht Der Dinge, Positionen Aktueller Kunst in Polen, Ostdeutsche Galerie, Regensburg
Faites vos Jeux! Kunst und Spiel Seit Dada, Akademie der Künste, Berlin; Kunstmuseum Lichtenstein, Vaduz
Potencjał. Kolekcje sztuki współczesnej dla muzeum, budynek Metropolitan, Warsaw
Only Make Believe: Ways of Playing, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
Falsche Erwartungen, Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Polen, Kunsthalle Darmstadt, Darmstadt
Revange on realism. The fictious Moment in Current Polish Art, Krinzinger Projekte, Wien
Towards the Other. Obserwations and interventions, BWA Gallery, Katowice
2004
Warszawa – Moskwa, 1900–2000, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
Inc. Art in the face of the corporate seizure of spaces of public expression (in Poland), XXI Gallery, Program Gallery, Warsaw
De ma fenêtre, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris
Paisatges Mediatics, Fundacio “laCaixa”, Tarragona
E.U Positive – Kunst aus dem Neue Europa, akademie der Künste, Berlin
Mèmories du temps de l’immaturitè, Passage de Retz, Paris
Privatisierungen, Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Osteuropa, Kunst-Werke, Berlin
Under The Red & White Flag, New Art from Poland, Estonian Art Museum, Tallinn; Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius; Nizhny Novgorod branch of the National Centre for Contemporary Art, Arsenal, Niznhy Novgorod; Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Arts, Niznhy Tagil; National Centre for Contemporay Arts, Moscow
2003
Sztuka III RP, Centrum Rzeźby Polskiej, Orońsko
InteGration. Art Towards Acedia, Program Gallery, Warsaw
Neuropa, XXI Gallery, Warsaw
2002
Poland, Academia. Teatr, Warsaw
What does the dead man’s glassy eye see, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
Niebezpieczne związki, Municipal Gallery Arsenał, Poznań
Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art, Jewish Museum, New York
2001
Irreligia, Atelier 340, Bruxelles
Milano Europa 2000. The End of the Century, the Seeds of the Future, Milano
Ironia, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona
Zimna wojna sztuki ze społeczeństwem, Stowarzyszenie Teatralne Łaźnia, Cracow
Na wolności/w końcu, Królikarnia Palace, Warsaw
Negotiators of Art. Facing Reality, Bunkier Sztuki, Crakow
2000
Scena 2000, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
In Freiheit/Endlich, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden-Baden
Postindustrial Sorrow, Kunsthalle, Wiesbaden
What, how and for whom, HDLU, Zagreb
L’Autre moitié de l’Europe, Galerie National du Jeu De Paume, Paris
The Toy Show, Nikolai Fine Art, New York
L’autre moitiè de L’Europe. Realitè sociale. Existence. Politique, Jeu de Paume, Paris
Negotiators of Art. Facing Reality, Center of Contemporary Art Laznia, Gdańsk
After the Wall, Hamburger Banhof, Berlin
1999
Aspects/Positions, MMKSLW, Wien
After the Wall, Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Conceptual Reflection in Polish Art. Current Practices, Mobile Horizons, Centrum Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warszawa
Generations. Rösa für Jungs, Helbllau für Mädchen, Neue Gesselschaft für Bildende Kunst, Berlin
Rondo, Ludwig Múzeum – Kortárs Müvészeti Múzeum, Budapest
Persuasion, Lombard and Fried Gallery, New York
Absence/Presence, Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Polish Art at the End/Beginning of the Century, Manege – Central Exhibition Hall, Pushkin Gallery 10, St. Petersburg
1998
Poliptyk, VII Bienale Wobec Wartości, BWA, Katowice
Medialisation, Edsvik Konst, Stockholm
Janine Antoni, Wim Delvoye, Christian Lemmerz, Zbigniew Libera, Mark Quinn, Galleri Faurschou, København
11th Tallinn Print Triennal, Rotermann’s Salt Storage Arts Centre, Tallinn
Fragment kolekcji 3, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw
At the Time of Writing,Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
1996
The Thing Between, Technische Samlungen der Stadt, Dresden
Universalis, 27a. Bienal de São Paulo, São Paulo
Videomentale. Sechs Künstlerische Positionen aus Polen, Foro Artistico in der Eisfabrik, Hanover
9. Video Fest 96, Podewil, Berlin
1995
New’s For New Years, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin
Antibodies, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
Beyond Belief, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Zbigniew Libera, Mariola Przyjemska, Roman Stańczak, Skuc Galerija, Ljubljana Universalis, XXIII Bienal Internacional de Arte São Paulo, São Paulo
Rysunek – Pierwszy zapis (z pracownia 60 artystów), Xawery Dunikowski Museum in Królikarnia, Warsaw
1994
Zetigenössische Polbische Kunst, Kunstverein, Freiburg
Videospaces, PGS, Sopot
Europa, Europa. Das Jahrhundert der Avantgarde in Mittel- und Osteuropa, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
Medienbiennale Minima Media, Kunsthalle Elsterpark und Fabrikhallen der Ehemalingen VEB, Buntgamwerke, Leipzig
1993
Emergency, Aperto93, XLV Biennale di Venezia, Venezia
Unvollkommen, Museum Bochum, Bochum
Marek Kijewski i Zbigniew Libera, V.I.T.R.I.O.L, Arsenal Gallery, Białystok
1992
Miejsca nie miejsca. Najnowsza rzeźba polska, Centre of Polish Sculpture, Orońsko
Current Situation 3:3, Otso Gallery, Espoo
Mystical Perseveration and Rose, PGS, Sopot
XI Spotkania Sztuki Aktywnej, Konin ’92
1991
Festival de Performances, Galeria de Arte Valgamedios, Madrid
The 4th Fukui International Video Biennale, Fukui Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Fukui
Kunst-Europa. Aktuelle kunst aus Polen, Brühler Kunstverein, Bonn; Villa Minima, Orangerie Schloss, Augustusburg
Veni. Video. Vici. CSCE Symposium on Curtural Heritage, Kraków, Bakunin in Dresden, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
Doppelte Identität. Polnische Kunst zu Beginn der neunziger Jahre, Landesmuseum, Wiesbaden
WRO Sound Basis Visual Art Festival, Wrocław
1990
AVE Festival, Arnheim Bakunin in Dresden, Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf Querspur Videofestival, Linz
1989
Suplements. Contemporary Polish Drawings, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton
Pole, German, Russian, former Norblin’s factory, Warsaw
Libera, Truszkowski, Rydecki, Galeria PO, Zielona Góra
31 obrazów z historii polskiej awangardy filmowej, Łódzki Dom Kultury, Łódź
1988
Now is Now, Galeria Wyspa, Gdańsk
Plener PSEP, Obserwatorium astronomiczne, Festiwal Nowe Media, Olsztyn
Take position. Artist before situtation of contemporary art, Galeria Stodoła, Warsaw
Polish Inter-Media Photography of Eighties, Municipal Gallery Arsenał, Poznań
1987
Erotyzm i satyra, Foto Galerie Gauss, Stockholm
II Biennale Sztuki Nowej, Zielona Góra
What’s up?, former Norblin’s factory, Warsaw
1986
Expression of the 80s, BWA, Sopot
Greetings to art officials, Pod Jaszczurami, Cracow
XIV Festiwal Sztuki Potrzebnej, Miejski Ośrodek Kultury, Kłodzko
1985
II Plener w Teofilowie(Pitch-in Culture)
III Festiwal Filmu Prywatnego „Nieme Kino”, (Pitch-in Culture), Strych, Łódź
Festiwal Porno (Pitch-in Culture), Strych, Łódź
1984
II Festiwal Filmu Prywatnego „Nieme Kino”, Strych, Łódź
