MAGDALENA GACEK explores the complexity of womanhood in the world shaped by stereotypes. She examines it across Occidental and Oriental cultures, having profoundly
experienced them both by living in Europe and Asia.

In her projects, Gacek breaks away from the traditional image of a woman by revealing her duality in the context of social norms and constrained axis of relationship status, family, religion, age, education, native and acquired culture. She often does so through visually rich but expressionless self-portrait.

Gacek holds a M.A. Masters of Arts in Design from the Creative Academy in Milan and a B.A. Bachelor of Arts in Design and Visual Communication from Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

She was born and raised in Poland, into a largely monocultural society with one dominant Catholic religion and scars from war and communism. In 2015 she moved to another extreme – Singapore – the pinnacle of multiculturalism, melting pot of religions and provenance. It was for her a perception revolution: “Have I not experienced that physical elongation, adaptation pain and another culture so profoundly, I wouldn’t have found ways to shift the engraved in me status quo.”

In her practice she experiments with the variety of media but photography and introspective self-portrait remain her central means of expression.

http://magdalenagacek.com
Instagram: @magdalenagacek_