The Phonemes of Alina Szapocznikow

The exhibition “The Phonemes of Alina Szapocznikow” presents one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century.
The display of her works from 1962 – Vowel and Consonant – offers an opportunity to explore how, in the early 1960s, the artist observed the organic forms of stone shaped by nature, analyzed its cracks and edges, and used them in her creative process to develop a unique sculptural language.

Vowel is a block of sandstone shaped to resemble the linguistic definition of a vowel — formed in the shape of the letter “U.” The artist complemented the central fissure with an “organic” form cast in bronze. Its conceptual and historical counterpart is Consonant, created in the same year.

The display of Alina Szapocznikow’s sculptures in the POLIN Museum's Heritage Gallery, together with screenings of films about the artist, creates a space for reflection on art, creativity, and life in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

The purchase of Vowel was made possible thanks to funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.