Hestia Artistic Journey
Exhibition of the 18th edition of the contest

The latest Hestia Artistic Journey competition is an opportunity to engage in a broader dialogue on the dissemination of modern art, which, subjected to the pressure of daily life, must cope with ambiguity, fluidity and uncertainty. This narrative is complemented and rejuvenated by the fresh and critical elaboration of these themes by the competition finalists. Through their works, they focus our attention on important and pressing problems: artistic, social, geopolitical, environmental, ideological and economic. The authors of the works on display are 4th and 5th year students of art faculties of 10 Polish universities.

"This year, the final round of the Hestia Artistic Journey competition brings us 25 very interesting and diverse proposals. Among them are works that raise the most central social and artistic problems of our times. It is highly significant that issues of such importance to all of us are courageously taken up by young students from across Poland, who are only starting their creative career. We have repeatedly stressed in this year's message accompanying the competition that we appreciate their efforts and their courage to pursue the artistic career, despite the risk," – explained Magdalena Kąkolewska, president of the Hestia Artistic Journey competition.

The final exhibition of the 18th Hestia Artistic Journey competition is accompanied by various special events: workshops, meetings, happenings, tours. All these proposals and activities complement the context of this year's competition, which revolves around the fluidity of reality, the expectations of modern times, life under constant pressure and the diktat of risk. The events accompanying the exhibition will highlight the very real problems faced by young artists, as well as the audience, operating in a world of constant action and reaction. The first day of the exhibition (Monday, 6 May) will start with a happening by Norbert Delman, a finalist of the 13th Hestia Artistic Journey competition. In his project, he attempted to visualise the anxiety and tension present in the life of every human being.

This year's finalists are competing for two professional residency programs at vibrant centres of artistic life: New York and Vilnius. In addition, the winner of the Hestia Artistic Journey competition's Special Award – sponsored by the president of the ERGO Hestia Group, Piotr M. Śliwicki – will be announced. The recipient will be commissioned to design the company's annual report. Guests and visitors to the Museum on the Vistula during the 18th final exhibition will be able to see the work of Joanna Kunert, winner of last year's Special Award. The artist's project is the result of artistic cooperation with ERGO Hestia employees. The names of the winners will be announced during the Final Gala on Friday, May 17.

Sopockie Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń ERGO Hestia SA is the patron of the annual Hestia Artistic Journey competition. The initiative is actively supported by the largest cultural institutions and art schools in Poland, as well as longtime partners of the Hestia Artistic Journey Foundation.

Finalists of the 18th Hestia Artistic Journey competition:

Maciej Gąbka, Karolina Gołębiowska, Barbara Gryka, Martyna Hadyńska, Xue Jiang, Karol Kobryń, Mateusz Kowalczyk, Joanna Krajewska, Aleksander Krzystyniak, Natalia Laskowska, Karolina Łukawska, Karolina Mądrzecka, Maryna Sakowska, Magdalena Sendek, Anna Shimomura, Jana Shostak, Aleksander Sovtysik, Oliwia Thomas, Jakub Tschierse, Wiktoria Walendzik, Kamila Winnicka, Justyna Wiśniowska, Marek Wodzisławski, Irena Zieniewicz, Konrad Żukowski.

From 6 to 19 May, at the Museum on the Vistula, branch of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, the most interesting and creative works of the finalists in the 18th competition will be subjected to an intensive, 2-week examination. The highlight of the exhibition will be the Final Gala on 17 May, during which winners of the competition will be announced.