The Lake Boy - Jakub Łączny

Łączny directs images situated at the intersection of the cinematic frame and painting. On the one hand, using water structures and particles of light, he depicts the process of matter’s self-organization; on the other, he highlights the aesthetics of the engaged body and its environment. Art Film. Jakub Łączny creates auteur films and forms akin to monodramas, in which the actor’s body becomes a tool of expression, but also a space of tension, control, and regeneration. He immerses the viewer in a palpable sense of masculine balance, seeking it between strength and sensitivity, discipline and openness to change. Once again, Łączny invites an athlete to take on an acting role. In his practice, the trained body becomes not only an object of observation but also an active participant in the film’s dramaturgy. The artist examines body awareness during physical exertion, the ability for self-observation, and sensory practices. Here, the body is not merely an object of training—it remains a living, self-regulating organism that constantly regenerates its skin, adapts, and evolves. Regeneration becomes a process of observing one’s own limits and responding to changing conditions. Regenerative Poetry - The exhibition concept is based on the artist’s original method of self-creation. Jakub Łączny analyzes the process of the formation of the male "self” and physicality, finding points of connection with the biography and work of Stanisław Grochowiak. Of particular significance here is the poetry cycle “Boyhood Games,” including the poem “The Lake Boy.” The motif of the lake serves as a starting point for reflections on bodily memory, coming of age, masculinity, and landscape as a space for shaping identity. Designing A Good Place - The exhibition combines large-format paintings with innovative film, pictorial scenography, and multidimensional lighting installations. It is an original exploration of the relationship with the local landscape of Lake Dominicki, which the artist has “made his own.” Here, the lake motif becomes a symbol of identity—a place of memory, regeneration, and rootedness. These themes are particularly significant in understanding place as an environment for living, regeneration, and self-creation. The artist also includes the “Black Desire” ceramic series in the exhibition, whose irregular, fluid forms evoke associations with floating patches of liquid, droplets, or traces of dripping sweat. Ceramics, painting, film, and light interpenetrate, creating a space with fluid boundaries. Using light, the artist shapes the interior and imbues it with a shifting atmosphere. Paintings cease to be merely images—they also become elements of architecture, symbols of both lightness and stability, as well as modules of a potential interior. In this way, the exhibition becomes a design for a good place: a space where the body can rest, transform, and find its own form. Artist Jakub Łączny Curators: Magdalena Komborska-Łączna, Zbigniew Olszyna, Kuba Szkudlarek Directed, written, and photographed by Jakub Łączny; cinematography and post-production by Jakub Łączny; lighting by Tytus Diakun and Dawid Znyk; editor Kajetan Kachel; actor Sebastian Chrząszcz; coach Jakub Cholewiński Set Design Consultant: Monika Staniec Visual Identity: Mariusz Andryszczyk Media Patrons: Designdoc.pl, NN6T, Habemus Design, SZUM Magazine Partners: Ceramika Paradyz Sp. z o.o., MBWA Gallery in Leszno, Galeria Wiele Sztuki, POSK, Polish Institute Cultural London Producer, organizer: PUBLISH ART Exhibition dates: September 12–13, 2026 Location: London, Southwark, TradeStars, Copperfield St, London SE1 0EA This public project is co-funded by the Wielkopolska Region Government. A project under the patronage of the Mayor of Leszno. https://jakublaczny.kroky.pl https://publishartpl.com/publish-art-association