MICHAEL POLAKOWSKI
Fire on the Mountain
Opening Reception:
Friday, August 7th | 6 - 9 PM
Exhibition on view July 30th - September 5th
Tectonic structures of the world move at a pace often imperceptible to the human eye. Pressure builds beneath our feet; fault lines and hairline fractures give evidence of this process but often go unnoticed amidst the illusion of regularity.
Fire on the Mountain deals with moments of seismic change. As power becomes consolidated, the brittle earth can hold its shape for only so long before reshaping itself to address this structural imbalance.
Returning to the motif of the volcano, Polakowski’s sculptural paintings dissect the spiritual narratives and myths we generate to navigate periods of transition and change. Often, we are simultaneously repelled by the resulting eruption while being pulled toward the labor of rebuilding.
MICHAEL POLAKOWSKI
Photo: CJ Benninger
Michael Polakowski was born in Dearborn, Michigan, in 1994 and attended The College for Creative Studies, where he received his BFA. Polakowski’s studio practice explores themes of spirituality, ecology, and interconnection, informed by his upbringing in the Midwestern United States. Following his formal education, Polakowski established his studio practice in Detroit, MI, and mounted solo exhibitions with Thinkspace Projects (LA) and Vins Gallery (Taipei, TW), and participated in group shows with Hashimoto Contemporary (LA) and Cohl Gallery (Paris), among others. His work is in the permanent collections of Mangroves Foundation (Barcelona) and the U.S. State Department. He has participated in residencies at Wassaic Project and Vermont Studio Center, and will be in residence at McColl Center in 2026. In addition, he will attend Virginia Commonwealth University to receive his Master’s in Painting and Printmaking.
