Municipality

Jacek Maria Stokłosa is a graphic artist and photographer with a Bachelor of Arts from the Department of Industrial and Graphic Design in the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts. Graduated with a diploma from the Department of Graphic Arts in 1972.

His creative activities began in 1963. He pursued a career in graphic design, was an award winner at the 6th International Biennale of Graphic Design in Krakow, and has participated in numerous international exhibitions of graphic art worldwide. Along with graphic art, he also applied himself to creative photography, which became another form of his artistic expression. Took part in the very first presentations of this trend in Poland. Associated with the artistic environment of the Krakow Krzysztofory Gallery and the Warsaw Foksal Gallery and has also performed for 20 years in Tadeusz Kantor's Cricot 2 Theatre. In 1967, the "Second Group" consisting of three people (Jacek Maria Stokłosa, Lesław and Wacław Janicki) was called into being. Their collaboration in the sphere of environmental and conceptual art contributed to significant events in the history of the Polish avant-garde. In 1973, the "Second Group" demonstrated its installation entitled "Gwarancja 25-35" (Guarantee 25-35) at the 8th Youth Biennale in Paris. In 1999, at the exhibition "Conceptual Reflection in Polish Art - Experiences of discourse: 1965-1975" at the Centre for Contemporary Art - Zamek Ujazdowski in Warsaw, a retrospective exhibition of their achievements was displayed.

Individual exhibitions: "Synchronizacja Niemożliwa" (Impossible Synchronization), "Pioneer" (Scout), "Makieta" (Model), and "Pytanie" (Question) were showcased in the Warsaw Foksal Gallery. In 1988, in the Union of Polish Artist Photographers Gallery in Krakow, "Video-installation" was brought to light, a protest against the excessive fascination with modern communication technology which places form above the substance of expression. A large installation, "Beyond the Choice", was exhibited in 1992 as an individual exposition at Foto Expo in Göteborg. Subsequently it was shown in the Krakow Krzysztofory Gallery, Poznań ON Gallery, as well as at the Bureau of Artistic Exhibitions in Słupsk.

In 1995, another individual exhibition - an installation called the "Silver Shadow" - was presented in the Krakow Starmach Gallery. Stokłosa has participated in exhibitions of the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts Department of Photography in Bratislava, Prague and Krakow.

The individual exhibition "My Tadeusz Kantor" lent lustre to Krakow Festival 2000.

In 2001, an artistic installation "Zakamarki" (Nooks and Corners) was presented in the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow.

Stokłosa's areas of experience and interest also cover applied graphics and the art of arranging exhibitions.

Co-operation with Prof. Barbara Borkowska gave birth to projects and produced award-winning expositions at the Poznań Fairs in 1995-1997. They designed numerous museum expositions such as: The Wawel Castle - Jan Vermeer "Saint Praxede", Krakow Palace of Art - "Gustaw Klimt", Krakow Youth Cultural Centre - "Georg Grosz", "The History Ring", and "Oscar Kokoschka". In the Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum Museum of Paediatrics exhibition, they designed and implemented new solutions to visual information on the site of the National Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.

In 1999, along with Prof. Borkowska, he won an international competition for the project design of the permanent exposition "Sauna", on the site of the Birkenau World War II concentration camp.

In 2002, this exposition received honours from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

At present he teaches digital photography and computer processing in the Department of Graphic Arts of the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts.

A member of the Union of Polish Artists and Designers and president of the Union for Krakow District for two terms, from 1996 to 2002.

A member of the Union of Polish Artist Photographers, and of the Krakow District Management Board.

A member of the Photo Processing Association.

Was an Alderman for the 5th City District of Krakow for three terms of office (1992-2002), free from party adherence.

Stokłosa was born in Krakow. He is 59, a widower, and has a son (Piotr - Jagiellonian University, Spanish philology graduate). His Krakow family traditions are related to the Szwarcenberg Czerny and Höffelmajer line of descent that can be traced back to the 13th Century.

He holds the position of the chief graphic designer of Krakow.

The responsibilities of the Chief Graphic Designer of the city - a Representative of the Mayor of the City of Krakow - comprise:

• The promotion of a comprehensive, harmonious and aesthetic image of the city.
• Undertaking activities aiming at raising the level of visual communication in the city area.
• Initiating and organising competitions in order to choose the best solutions of visual communication and elements of artistic design.
• The co-ordination of above activity; signing letters and documents resulting from work of the City Hall and the city's organisational units in this sphere.