In a striking intersection of digital art and diplomacy, the Embassy of Poland in The Hague, under the leadership of H.E. Ambassador Margareta Kassangana, hosted the solo exhibition Truth of Seeing by acclaimed Polish artist and photographer Antonina Konopelska at Pulchri Studio.
The event formed part of the official cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and was held under the honorary patronage of Ambassador Kassangana, who was deeply moved by Konopelska’s work during a recent visit to Warsaw.
Antonina Konopelska is a prominent figure in contemporary Polish photography. Her work explores the boundaries of identity, presence, and perception in the digital age.
With a background in both fine arts and Iberian studies, and a Ph.D. from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Konopelska has developed a unique visual language that blends traditional photography with cutting-edge digital manipulation.
Her latest exhibition, Truth of Seeing, showcases a large-format post-photographic collection of portraits that question the line between reality and simulation. Through a process she terms “graphical personification,” Konopelska transforms her subjects into performative simulacra, merging organic form with technological artifice.
The resulting images exist in a liminal space between human presence and artificial curation, challenging the viewer’s notions of authenticity, identity, and representation.
Renowned curator Barbara London, a pioneer in video and media art, has positioned Konopelska’s work within broader philosophical and technological discourses. Truth of Seeing engages deeply with theories of post-photography, identity performance, and simulation, drawing inspiration from thinkers such as Jean Baudrillard, Susan Sontag, David Levi Strauss, Vilém Flusser, and Joan Fontcuberta.
The vernissage, held on Wednesday, April 16, drew a distinguished crowd including ambassadors, diplomats, Dutch and international artists, members of Pulchri Studio, and business professionals. In her opening remarks, Ambassador Kassangana warmly welcomed the guests, sharing how personally captivated she had been when encountering the exhibition in Warsaw. She then invited Antonina Konopelska to address the audience. The artist spoke passionately about her creative process and encouraged guests to reflect on the deeper questions raised by her work.
Among the attendees were the ambassadors of Côte d’Ivoire, Kosovo, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, and New Zealand, underscoring the strong diplomatic interest in the cultural dialogue fostered by the exhibition.
With Truth of Seeing, Antonina Konopelska presents a provocative body of work, also offering a timely reflection on the essence of human identity in an increasingly digitized world.
Pictures by Roy Strik for Diplomat Magazine.
About Antonina Konopelska
Konopelska is a Polish interdisciplinary artist, photographer, and educator born in 1990. Her work primarily involves staged or provoked photographic scenarios rooted in personal experiences and documentary research, exploring themes such as identity, interpersonal relationships, and proxemics within social contexts.
She earned her MA and BA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, studying under Professor Grzegorz Kowalski at the Audiovisual Space Studio “Kowalnia.” Additionally, she holds a BA in Iberian and Ibero-American Studies from the University of Warsaw. In 2022, she completed her Ph.D. at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice under the supervision of Professors Ewa Zawadzka and Judyta Bernaś.
Konopelska’s notable project, “The Wax of Poland,” is an ongoing series of digitally manipulated portraits that transform subjects into transhuman figures. This work delves into the intersection of photography and digital technology, reflecting on the nature of photographic representation in the post-photographic era.
Her exhibitions include solo shows like “Chór / The Choir” at Vienna Woods Gallery in Los Angeles (2020), “Libertango” at TRAFO in Szczecin (2018), and “The Wax of Poland 3.1” at Promocyjna Gallery in Warsaw (2018). She has also participated in group exhibitions such as “Out of Poland” at Arena 1 Gallery in Santa Monica (2019) and “Masquerade” at the Centre for Photography in Stockholm (2012).
Konopelska has received several accolades, including scholarships from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute for Polish Culture Abroad (2018, 2020, 2021), the ZAIKS Polish Society of Authors and Composers (2013–2021), and awards from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
In addition to her artistic practice, she serves as an Assistant Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and lectures at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology.
For more information, you can visit her official website: antoninakonopelska.com
