CZARNE CHMURY (“Dark Clouds”)

Opening of the exhibition and sound performance

What is it about?

“Dark Clouds” is an exhibition by American-Polish artist Kimba Frances Kerner, accompanied by a unique sound performance created in collaboration with saxophonist Natan Kryszek. At the heart of this deeply personal yet culturally rooted exhibition are prints and ceramic objects inspired by the work of Isaac Bashevis Singer. Taking center stage are mythical beings from Jewish folklore—golems, demons, imps—which, in Kerner’s interpretation, take on emotional and almost therapeutic meaning. Their presence gives the works a fairy-tale quality, while simultaneously telling a story about existential fear, spiritual heritage, and the difficult emotions that demand to be acknowledged and transformed.

During the exhibition opening, audiences will experience a performative sound duet by Kerner and Kryszek – a meeting of sound and matter, experiment and emotion.
This is a space between dream and reality, archetype and modernity, where artistic intuition intertwines with cultural roots and memory. It’s an immersive encounter that blurs boundaries and invites deep emotional resonance.

By whom?

Kimba Frances Kerner – an American artist based in Poland. A graduate of Parsons School of Design and a PhD candidate at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, she works with printmaking, ceramics, and installation art. She was a finalist of the Polish Print Triennial (2021) and recipient of the Tadeusz Kulisiewicz Foundation Award (2019). Her solo exhibitions have been shown in venues such as Zachęta Project Room and the Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra.

Natan Kryszk – saxophonist, sculptor, and composer of music for theatre and dance. He is a co-founder of Pracownia Wschodnia and the experimental band Pokusa. Kryszk has performed alongside leading figures of the Polish alternative scene and collaborated with artists such as Paweł Althamer, Weronika Pelczyńska, Patrycja Kowańska, Marta Ziółek, Daria Kopiec, and Kuba Kowalski.

Who is it for?

For everyone interested in contemporary art, animism, Jewish culture, and performance. Especially for those sensitive to experimental forms, fans of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s literature, and those seeking in art an experience of transgression – bodily, spiritual, and cultural. No age restrictions apply, though a fuller understanding of the context may be more accessible to teenagers and adults.

Why is it worth it?

„Czarne chmury” (“Dark Clouds”) is a story about how myth and memory can find a new voice—through printmaking, ceramics, and sound. It’s an exhibition that doesn’t speak of the past directly, but rather evokes it through spirits and shapes, whispers and textures.

Availability

Galeria W Y is located on the ground floor, with one step at the entrance. Guide dogs are welcome.

Nearby, you’ll find bus and tram stops: Zachodnia/Więckowskiego, Gdańska/Zielona, and again Zachodnia/Więckowskiego.

#SztukaŻydowska #CeramikaWspółczesna #SoundArt #ArtInMyth