Artist statement
Klepuszewska was once an actor and this comes as no surprise when you consider the methodology behind her work. Originally trained at the Lee Strasberg Institute and the Oxford School of Drama, she also toured small European festivals with a Polish theatre company, often performing to people who had not seen theatre before. These experiences inform her artistic practice. Quietly, she studies and observes. Gestures and routines are carefully noted, their nuances annotated, understood and then enigmatically revealed. Precious items, which to others are merely horded human detritus, are re-arranged into exquisite tableaux. Kernels of dialogue and information are lyrically interwoven as text and sound. Although her work has a documentary imperative, she plays on subtle, almost imperceptible truths rather than creating a strictly factual account.
In a bittersweet memory from childhood, she remembers scratching the surface of a family photograph, after imagining that another picture, another world, might exist underneath. "A few scratches, a small innocently destructive gesture, and the familiar faces disappeared into non-existence. What a huge disappointment to discover that there was nothing under the surface, just whiteness. Photography, it seems to me, is a small, empty, rectangular space waiting to be filled. From this space, a world comes into existence."
Intrinsic to her work are the details and scenes, the small fragilities and brutalities of contemporary human existence. The underlying themes of separation, solitude, isolation and exclusion persist concurrently with an exploration of the spaces we inhabit and the objects with which we surround ourselves. From an intimate, engaged and often playful process of collection and collaboration, she creates both accounts of the real world and self-contained fictions, developing work that combines installation, mixed media, photography, text, sound and digital media.
She has gained recognition for producing well-researched, high quality and thought-provoking work, often reflecting upon issues concerning contemporary life, our social environment and conditions of living. Her particular interest is in people, their circumstances, their situations and how these personal fragments can be explored and connected to a more universal experience of life.
'Living Arrangements' investigates an important subject for a society still coming to terms with its ageing population, sparked by the disturbing statistic that one in ten of our elderly people spend their lives utterly alone rarely encountering another human in their solitary day-to-day lives. The work focuses on the significant changes in family life over the last two decades and how this has created a large and expanding number of elderly people who are living alone, often with deteriorating health and no family support to hand. The home is often regarded as a place of shelter but for some in later life it can become an island of isolation, "a place of uncertainty, positioned between the conflicts of past memories and present emotions." Belovai/Spence 2011
'End Part' considers the work of the Protection of Property Department. This is a council department that deals with the possessions of those who die alone. "For most people, death has about it the consolation of passing on your memories and your possessions to the next generation - life as a link in a great chain - but for the people who this department deal with, death is often a bleaker kind of terminus, and their possessions are the detritus of a life that must be tidied away; what they have loved becomes rubbish; those they have loved have disappeared and may never even know they have died." Gerrard 2000. With no next of kin to take care of their belongings, it is left to this department to deal with what is left behind, the evidence of unclaimed lives and the final traces of their human existence.
Qualifications and training
- 2006 MA Photography, London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
- 2003 BA Photography, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham
- 2002 BA Exchange Programme, Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts, Lodz, Poland
Solo exhibitions
- 2014 I wouldn't like to live in the open air but sometimes I would, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2014 I wouldn't like to live in the open air but sometimes I would, 1066 Art Academy Gallery Space, Battle
- 2014 I don't live there no more, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford
- 2013 EMPATHY BELONGING VALUES LEARNING - KINDNESS, People United in partnership with Kent County Council, National Theatre & Turner Contemporary, Canterbury, London & Margate
- 2013 End Part & Living Arrangements with Grandma’s House by David Badger, curated by David Gilbert, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2011 Obbiettivo Donna, curated by 3/3, Officine Fotografiche, Rome
- 2010 NAKED Sight Recognition Doubt, curated by Kristin Dittrich, F/Stop International Festival of Photography, Leipzig
- 2009 Living Arrangements, curated by Patrick Macaulay, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
- 2008 Living Arrangements, The Space - Brighton Photo Fringe, Brighton
- 2008 Living Arrangements, Yorkshire ArtSpace, Sheffield
- 2006 End Part, Pickford's House Museum - EXPOSURE Format Photography Festival, Derby
- 2005 Can I take your photograph? Lesser portraits, lesser histories from Lesser Poland, Malopolska Gallery, Gorlice, Poland
- 2004 Art Students - Portraits from the Department of Selected Visual Problems, partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute & the 2nd Polish Film Festival, St.Saviours Church, London
Group exhibitions
- 2014 Fellows Exhibition (AA2A), School of Arts & Media, Bradford College, Bradford
- 2014 Untitled, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford
- 2014 4 PURE Artist Collaborations, 1066 Art Academy Gallery Space, Battle
- 2013 SOME TIMES Public Collaborations, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2013 Transitions, curated by Nigel Green, The Powder Mills Hotel, Battle
- 2013 An Arrangement in White, XO Gallery, Leeds
- 2012 Uncertainty - Festival of the Mind, Sheffield University, St George's, Sheffield
- 2012 Lost Properties, curated by Object Art, Fringe Visual Arts Festival, Bath
- 2012 6th Arte Laguna International Art Prize Exhibition, curated by Igor Zanti, The Arsenale, Venice
- 2011 Echoes of Home: Penny Klepuszewska, Elaine Tribley, Jonathan Mosley, Sophie Warren, curated by Nora Belovai & Helen Spence, Mint Hotel partnership with the Whitechapel Gallery, London
- 2011 FotoGrafia Award Exhibition, ROMA - The Road to Contemporary Art: Pieter Hugo, Eva Leitolf, Penny Klepuszewska, curated by Marco Delogu, Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Roma - FotoGrafia X Edizione International Photography Festival, Rome
- 2011 Su Palatu Surrau International Photography Award Exhibition: Eva Leitolf, Giuliano Matteucci, Penny Klepuszewska, Jonas Petronis, Massimiliano T. Rezza, Café Aroma Photogalerie, Berlin
- 2011 Su Palatu Surrau International Photography Award Exhibition: Eva Leitolf, Giuliano Matteucci, Penny Klepuszewska, Jonas Petronis, Massimiliano T. Rezza, Academy of Fine Art, Sassari, Sardinia
- 2010 The Construction of a Photography Book, Istituto Superiore di Fotografia e Comunicazione Integrata, Rome
- 2010 Collaborators2, curated by Sandie Macrae & Remy Hoche, ROOM, London
- 2009 Photography Is Dead, selected by Simon Bainbridge 'British Journal of Photography,' partnership with Three White Walls Gallery & Rhubarb Rhubarb International Review, Birmingham
- 2009 ANIMALISM: Jill Cole, Penny Klepuszewska, Chrystel Lebas, Angela Bartram, Thijs Wassink, James Mollison, curated by Greg Hobson, National Media Museum, Bradford
- 2008 Future50, curated Liz Aston & Ceri Hand, Project Space, Leeds
- 2008 Light Divided, curated by Ben Austin, Louise T. Blouin Institute, London
- 2008 Family Archives: Lost and Found, curated by Professor Val Williams, Communication Space Skolska 28, Prague
- 2008 A Less Common Occupation - Women in Farming, curated by Aune Head Arts, Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
- 2008 ARTfutures, selected by Jeni Walwin, Bloomberg Space, London
- 2008 Takahiro Iwasaki & Penny Klepuszewska, curated by Sandie Macrae & Tamsin Clark, ROOM, London
- 2007 Future Map 07, curated by Eamonn Maxwell & Media Cohan-Petrolino, Arts Gallery, University of the Arts, London
- 2007 Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2007, selected by Nigel Cooke, Linda Nordan & Michael Landy, New Art Gallery, Cornerhouse & Rochelle School, Birmingham, Manchester & London
- 2007 LE OFF, Rencontres Internationale de la Photographie, Arles
- 2007 MAP Reading, curated by Wiebke Leister, Gallery Fachbereich Gestaltung, Bielefield, Germany
- 2007 Descubrimientos PhotoEspana International Festival of Photography & Visual Art, Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporaneo, Madrid
- 2007 How We Are: Photographing Britain, curated by Professor Val Williams & Susan Bright, Tate Britain, London
- 2007 Breathing Space, curated by Jessica Baum, Brahm Gallery, Leeds
- 2006 For Sake or For Sale?, curated by Labyrinth Production, Homestead Gallery, London
- 2006 Ian Parry Award Exhibition, Getty Images Gallery, London
- 2006 Petit Mortes, curated by PhotoDebut & Corbettprojects, Glass House Gallery, London
- 2006 FotoGrafia V Edizione International Photography Festival, Tempio di Adriano, Rome
- 2006 FotoFreo International Photography Festival, Code Red Australia, Fremantle
- 2005 ArtSway 05, ArtSway Contemporary Visual Art in the New Forest, Sway
- 2005 Family Archives: Lost and Found, curated by Professor Val Williams, Eckersley Gallery, London
Degree shows
- 2006 MA Final Show, curated by Anne Williams & Wiebke Leister, The Galleries, London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
- 2003 BA Final Show, Surface Gallery, Nottingham
Curated projects
- 2013 Pure Fine Art London, Saatchi Gallery, London
- 2013 Pure Art Fair, curated by Lesley Samms, The Powder Mills Hotel, Battle
- 2012 Pure Art Fair, curated by Lesley Samms, The Powder Mills Hotel, Battle
- 2008 ZOO Art Fair with ROOM, curated by Sandie Macrae, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Artist talks
- 2014 Photography Fellowship Artist Talk, Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford
- 2014 PURE Artist Talk, 1066 Art Academy Gallery Space, Battle
- 2013 SOME TIMES Artist Talk, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2009 ANIMALSIM Artist Talk, National Media Museum, Bradford
- 2006 VISION Artist Talk, British Journal of Photography, London
- 2006 Just One Image Artist Seminar, PARC Photography & the Archive Research Centre, London
Workshops
- 2014 PURE Creative Workshop Series, 1066 Art Academy Gallery Space, Battle
- 2013 SOME TIMES Creative Workshop Series, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2010 Constructing Still Life Workshop, Wakefield Museum, Wakefield
- 2010 Selected Photographer, The Construction of a Photography Book, workshop with Rinko Kawauchi, Istituto Superiore di Fotografia e Comunicazione Integrata, Rome
Residencies
- 2014 PURE Studio/Gallery Residency, 1066 Art Academy Gallery Space, Battle
- 2013 SOME TIMES Studio Residency, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2006 Residency/New Works Commission - Women in Farming, Aune Head Arts, Dartmoor
- 2005 Residency/New Works Commission, Institute for the Elderly & Malopolska Gallery, Grybow & Gorlice, Poland
- 2004 Studio Residency/New Works Commission, Florence Trust, London
Public commissions
- 2013 EMPATHY BELONGING VALUES LEARNING - KINDNESS Artist Commissions, People United in partnership with Kent County Council, National Theatre & Turner Contemporary, Canterbury, London & Margate
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2013 Photography Fellow, (AA2A) School of Arts & Media, Bradford College, Bradford
- 2013 Juliet Gomperts Award, Juliet Gomperts Trust, London
- 2012 Best Photograph Award, Pure Art Fair, The Powder Mills Hotel, Battle
- 2012 Shortlisted - 1000 Words Award for European Photographers, 1000 Words Photography Magazine, London
- 2012 Finalist - 6th Arte Laguna International Art Prize, The Arsenale, Venice
- 2011 Honourable Mention, FotoGrafia Award, ROMA - The Road to Contemporary Art, Rome
- 2010 Nominee/Finalist (nominated by Maurizio Valdarnini), Surrau Photo Win International Photography Award, Su Palatu Cultural Space for Photography, Sassari, Sardinia
- 2010 Finalist, NAKED Sight Recognition Doubt Photography Prize, F/Stop International Festival of Photography, Leipzig
- 2010 Nominee, Artificial Image Award, Berlin
- 2010 Publishing Prize Winner, The Construction of a Photography Book, Istituto Superiore di Fotografia e Comunicazione Integrata, Rome
- 2009 Honorable Mention, International Photography Awards, Los Angeles
- 2009 Nominee/Shortlisted (nominated by Sue Steward), Vauxhall Collective, London
- 2008 Nominee (nominated by Greg Hobson), Northern Art Prize, Leeds
- 2008 Nominee/Shortlisted, Danny Wilson Memorial Award, Brighton Photo Fringe, Brighton
- 2008 Grant for the Arts, Arts Council England, Yorkshire
- 2008 Photography Bursary, National Media Museum, Bradford
- 2008 Nominee (nominated by Peter Bonnell), SOHO Commission, partnership with ArtSway & the Photographers' Gallery, London
- 2007 Nominee/Shortlisted, Lucie Awards - International Photographer of the Year - Deeper Perspective, New York
- 2007 First Prize, International Photography Awards - UK Photographer of the Year - Deeper Perspective, London
- 2007 First Prize, International Photography Awards - Deeper Perspective, Los Angeles
- 2007 Nominee/Shortlisted, Grieve & Samaritans Art Prize, London
- 2007 Shortlisted, PhotoEspana Descubrimientos Award, Madrid
- 2007 Shortlisted, LE OFF Rencontres Internationale de la Photographie Award, Arles
- 2007 Finalist, Baume & Mercier International Photography Award, Rome
- 2006 First Prize, Sproxton Award for Photography, London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
- 2006 Grant for the Arts, Arts Council England, Yorkshire
- 2006 Grant, British Council, London
- 2006 Grant, Ministry of Culture & National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, Krakow
- 2006 First Prize, British Journal of Photography/Nikon Endframe Award, London
- 2005 First Prize, Next Level Magazine/Audi Vorsprung durch Technik Contemporary Photography Awards, London
- 2004 First Prize, UK Art Prize Channel 5 Big Art Challenge, London
Publications
- 2013 What’s the story? Artists talking about photography - Monograph Circaidy Gregory Press, Hastings
- 2011 FotoGrafia X Edizione - Catalogue with text by Marco Delogu, Rome
- 2010 Surrau Photo Win International Prize Su Palatu - Catalogue with a foreword by Sonia Borsato, Villenova Monteleone, Sardinia
- 2010 Living Arrangements - Monograph Postcart Publishing House, Rome
- 2010 Journal of Photography & Culture Volume 3 - Journal cover image, edited by Professor Val Williams, Kathy Kubicki & Alison Nordstrom, Oxford
- 2008 Northern Art Prize - Catalogue with a foreword by Pippa Hale, Leeds
- 2008 Fringe Benefits - Article by Sue Steward British Journal of Photography, London
- 2008 Takahiro Iwasaki & Penny Klepuszewska - Article by Wiebke Gronemeyer Whitehot Magazine, London
- 2008 In Bloom - Article by Diane Smyth British Journal of Photography, London
- 2008 Next Generation - Our Stars of Tomorrow Article Wallpaper Magazine, London
- 2007 Bloomberg New Contemporaries - Catalogue with a foreword by Sacha Craddock, London
- 2007 How We Are: Photographing Britain - Catalogue with a foreword by Stephen Deuchar, London
- 2007 Living Arrangements - Photo-essay International Journal of Epidemiology Oxford University Press, Oxford
- 2007 Where to with Grandma? - Article by Bill Kouwenhoven Hotshoe Contemporary Photography Magazine, London
- 2006 Fieldstudy 8 - Catalogue PARC Photography & the Archive Research Centre, London
- 2006 Old Stories - Article by Sean Louth British Journal of Photography, London
- 2006 Fotografie - Catalogue with texts by Simon Bainbridge & Wiebke Leister, Gorlice, Poland
- 2006 FotoGrafia V Edizione - Catalogue with text by Marco Delogu, Rome
- 2005 Storytellers - Article Next Level Contemporary Photography Magazine, London
Other
- 2013 PURE Selected Artist - Professional Development Opportunity, Pure Arts, London & South East England
- 2013 SOME TIMES Selected Artist - Professional Development Opportunity, The Art House, Wakefield
- 2012 Prints acquired for collection, Arts Council England, Southbank Centre, London
- 2010 Prints acquired for collection, Su Palatu Cultural Space for Photography, Sassari, Sardinia
- 2010 Prints acquired for collection, F/Stop International Festival of Photography, Leipzig
- 2009 Prints acquired for collection, National Media Museum, Bradford
- 2007 Prints acquired for collection, University of the Arts, London
- 2007 Selected Print Sales, The Photographers' Gallery Print Room, London
Web links - gallery/work/projects
