Joanna E. Kabala
Born in Gdańsk, Poland. Lives in the Netherlands.
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Painting and Graphics at the PWSSP, Fine Arts Academy in
Gdańsk, Poland (1984–1989).
A postgraduate scholarship awarded by the Minister of Culture and Art in 1989.
Master of Science (MSc) in Applied Informatics from De Montfort University in
Leicester, UK (1993–1994).
Between 1986 and 1995, developed a distinctive design style while collaborating with several artistic
groups, including Yo Als Jetzt, Wydawnictwo Kubańskie Cycki, Transitory Formation
TOTART, Gallery-Workshop C14~~~ (together with Andrzej Awsiej and
Marek Rogulski), as well as Awsiej Kabala Project, Open Atelier Foundation, and C.U.K.T.
Collaboration involved co-creating concepts, designing posters, leaflets, stencils, and small press
publications, creating diaporamic slides, scenographies, and, since 1992, graphics and computer
animations.
Among these works is the computer film ChRzW - Homemade Virtual Reality.
In 1996, relocated to the Netherlands to work as an Interaction Designer at Philips
Design, contributing to a pioneering research program integrating fine arts into the
industrial design process. A long-term assignment at the Self-Adapting Media Group of Philips
Research involved participation in the experimental PAINT for Ambient Intelligence project,
which applied a generative design approach to intelligent system adaptation.
This creative and research work produced numerous visualizations and a patented method for obtaining
computer system user profiles.
Since 2002, under the name vangdansk, together with Andrzej Awsiej,
co-produced artistic projects focusing on digital techniques in creating images, book illustrations, and
animated art documents.
Current work primarily involves individual art projects inspired by a broad range of popular science
topics, from physics, which delves into the nature of reality, to psychology, which explores archetypes.
These explorations aim to reach for a deeper understanding of human existence.
Recent artworks are created mainly with digital tools, with particular attention given to Generative AI
Art in the creative process.
Recognition includes the Award of the Mayor of Gdańsk in the Field of Culture, received in 2016 and
2021.
Artworks have been included in the 20th and 21st Century Art Collection of the Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź, Poland.
ART EXHIBITIONS
The lynx looks like a sculpture, but he moves and goes into the city. Quickly, the lynx is lost.
He melts and partially disappears,
then tries to fit into different forms. He experiences an identity crisis and existential shock.
This makes him stronger but does
not make him fearless. Once he returns to his lynx consciousness, he still doesn’t like getting
into water. However, he knows
painfully well that he can do it. So, finally, he jumps in. There are different possible
interpretations of what happens next,
but, speaking shortly, the lynx lives through a series of experiences.
DIGITAL GRAFFITI 2025, Alys Beach, Florida US
The article presents observations made during image generation using text-to-image and image-to-image prompts in several commercially available Generative AI Art generators. Images from various sessions have been compiled into a short animation that is part of an ongoing art practice, conceptually touching on the issue of consciousness. Without delving into philosophy, consciousness is viewed as the essential feature differentiating humans from machines. Thanks to consciousness, the domain of art belongs to humans. AI, even if it behaves intelligently, is perceived merely as a tool that artists can efficiently use to create content.
Beauty and the Prompt. Proceedings of the 27th GENERATIVE ART CONFERENCE 2024, Venice Italy https://www.generativeworld.it/27GA/E-book_GA2024.pdf - p.245
Another year has passed and you still have to correct the shape of the characters’ hands and
feet. This observation applies
to art-generating AI and does not change the fact that Generative AI Art editors are brilliant
tools for image creation. The
entire field of AI technology is rushing forward. The precision of AI engineering is astounding,
as are the achievements of AI
medicine. It’s amazing how many people you can help. It is also amazing how far this technology
can be used against humans;
it even becomes plausible that artificial intelligence could harm us and, ultimately, even
eliminate humanity from the Earth. It
all depends on who will use it. This is so obvious. Not much has changed in this respect since
the hand axe.
ART AFTER PSYCHO-SOCIOLOGY:- SACCADES and COMPANY (world) 2024, ICS Gdańsk Poland
2024 To me Space is a Person. Wanda Czełkowska and All. Teatr Druga Strefa. Warszawa Poland
2024 Love Victory = √1% at ART AFTER PSYCHO-SOCIOLOGY:- SACCADES and COMPANY (world). ICS Gdańsk
Poland
2023 Mary is OK - animation and text An Image spoke to me: Mary is OK at ART AFTER
PSYCHO-SOCIOLOGY, _IDÉE FIXe OCCULERE, Institute of Cybernetics of Art Gdańsk, Poland
2023 On Another Planet - Quantum Self-Portrait- print and text Artificial Art or Quantum
Self-portrait at PLACEBO - NEW GODS Institute of Cybernetics of Art Gdańsk, Poland
2022-2023 “Tectonic Movements. On the artistic symptoms of the Transition”, Museum of Art in Łódź,
Poland
2021 “TIWI 2.0”, Chmura Foundation, Gdańsk, Poland, online exhibition
2019 “RECURRENCE – POWER_METRICS“, Institute of Cybernetics of Art Gdańsk, Poland
2018 “Self-publishing”, Studio Luks Sfera, Gdańsk, Poland
2018 “GRAY ECONOMY - Describing the description”, Institute of Cybernetics of Art Gdańsk, Poland
2018 “Non-existing workshop”, Armory of Arts, Gdańsk, Poland
2017 “Videotapping”, Institute of Cybernetics of Art Gdańsk, Poland
2017 “New situations. The Tri-City Art of the 80-ties”, Gdańsk City Gallery 2, Poland
2016 “Fête Funèbre”, Academy of Fine Arts Gdańsk, Poland
2015 “NOBODY WILL TAKE AWAY OUR YOUTH! Music and art of the 80’ that created the alternative face of the
Tricity”, exhibition at the Open’er Festival in Gdynia, organized by the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw,
Poland
2003 “Contemporary Portrait from Gdańsk”, vangdansk, Kunstevent Antwerpen, Belgium
2003 vangdansk painting and digital design, Kunstevent Eindhoven, The Netherlands
1997 Non-existing workshop, group exhibition of artists co-operating with the Intermedia Workshop PI,
Gallery Arsenal, Białystok, Poland; the Internet action
1995 “Interactive database of art projects”, a desktop installation at the Fantom Hermeticum group
exhibition, Gallery Spichrz 7, Gdańsk, Poland
1995 “Prototype of an Interactive Database of Poetry Group Zlali mi sie do Srodka”, at the Art between Low
and High Technology group exhibition of the 5th International Sound Basis Visual Art Festival WRO'95,
Wrocław, Poland
1995 Idyllic March II, graffiti and computer movie at group exhibition in Grohman's Palace, Łódź, Poland
1995 “The Sun in Palace. Circles and Stripes”, computer movie at the group exhibition Protein, Artists'
Museum, Lódź, Poland
1993 - 1995 “ChRzW - Home-made Virtual Reality” – computer movie, electronic painting technique; the object
of art realized as a teamwork. The concept has been worked out by: Andrzej Awsiej, Joanna Kabala, Artur
Kudlaty Kozdrowski.
The ChRzW computer movie projections:
[1993] Łódź - Studyjny Theatre; Wrocław – WRO’93; Gdynia Gallery78 - "Arts' Detergents"; Poznań - Gallery ON
"Miscellanous book"; Wrocław - Gallery Entropia "Cheyennes' Autumn"; [1994] Gdańsk – Żak, Poetry Group
"Zlali mi się do Środka"; Warszawa - Contemporary Art Centre; Lublin - Gallery KONT; Berlin - Theatre
Schaumplatz, "Smell with Nose"; [1995] Szczecin - Pomeranian Dukes' Castle "Art of Pomerania after 1945";
Lódź - Grohman`s Palace "March Feast II"; Gdańsk – Forty “CUKT-NTSC”
1992 “Levels”, a set of objects (tiles and graffiti) at the Open Atelier group exhibition, Old Municipal
Baths, Gdańsk, Poland
1992 ornamental drawings at Walpurgia`s Night symposium, Gallery C14~~~ Gdańsk, Poland
1991 “Watchmen keep an eye day and night”, oil painting and drawings "The Zoological Notebooks", individual
exhibition, Gallery C14~~~ Gdańsk, Poland
1991 “Complicated life of Hezok’s relatives”, painting, oil on canvas; a part of the inauguration group
exhibition of the Gallery C14~~~, Gdańsk, Poland
1991 “Lustige Mutante”, drawings, at the 5th Totart Anniversary group exhibition, Gallery Wyspa Gdańsk,
Poland
1990 “Parrot rapt by hawk”, painting, oil on canvas and tempera on paper
Light Band Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Bij Anna - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1990 “Bird and Mammal”, foldaway painting together with Andrzej Awsiej, emulsion, templates, Gallery Dyk 1,
Alkmaar, The Netherlands
1990 “Hezok”, installation for hand-made slides projection; at group exhibition Review, Fine Arts Academy,
Gdańsk, Poland
1989 “The Journey of King Ciumaga”, painting, oil on canvas, tempera on paper; individual exhibition,
Gallery “Wlot”, Gdańsk, Poland