Collection

Ewa Partum’s poetic work consisted of taking individual letters of the alphabet cut from paper, and scattering them in non-artistic settings: e.g. an underpass, the slope of a hill, or the sea.

The artist’s gesture resulted in a deconstruction of the language, whose grammar, syntax, and semantics framed her artistic statement. Her poems were shaped by coincidence, which made their message more open and processual. By confronting elements associated with femininity (water and wind carrying letters away), the artist was able to pit herself against patriarchal patterns at the heart of the language. Poem by Ewa is also considered to be a classic work of Polish conceptualism and visual poetry, as well as a vital point of reference for contemporary feminist art.