When does the event take place?

The event starts on July 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf.

Where exactly does the exhibition take place?

At the Polish Institute Düsseldorf, Citadellstraße 7, 40213 Düsseldorf.

Is the exhibition suitable for art enthusiasts interested in contemporary art?

Yes, the exhibition especially targets visitors interested in contemporary art, painting, video, and curatorial contextualization.

Are there accessible information options?

The Polish Institute refers to a statement on accessibility. Detailed information should be checked directly with the institute before the visit.

What topics are the focus?

The focus is on memory, identity, power, resistance, history painting, and alternative narratives of the past.

Mikołaj Sobczak opens a radical visual laboratory of history in Düsseldorf

Name: Mikołaj Sobczak. Share and Rule
Start: 2026-07-28T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-07-28T14:00:00+02:00
Location: Polnisches Institut Düsseldorf

Mikołaj Sobczak: An Exhibition on Power, Memory, and New Narratives

At the Polish Institute Düsseldorf, Mikołaj Sobczak presents Share and Rule, an exhibition that impressively intertwines history painting, contemporary art, and political image critique. This is the artist's first institutional solo exhibition in Düsseldorf, showcasing central works from various phases of his career, set against the backdrop of Manifesta 16 Ruhr. Admission is free. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Between Painting, Video, and Performance

Sobczak's practice moves between painting, video, objects, and performance; the artist works with historical fragments that he transforms into multifaceted, often surreal image worlds. In doing so, he questions established historical narratives and opens spaces for queer and trans perspectives as well as for voices long marginalized in the canon. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

History as an Open Space of Possibility

The exhibition gathers works in which real protagonists meet, although time and space would normally separate them. Particularly striking is the video-based excerpt from The Peasants and the work Adam Gawron, which connects personal memory, archive, and political history. Sobczak uses art history not as a rigid heritage, but as a field of friction, interpretation, and redefinition. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Exhibition Atmosphere and Curatorial Context

Curated by Krzysztof Kościuczuk, the presentation leads into a visual language that oscillates between allegory, reconstruction, and contemporary relevance. The exhibition is part of the context of Manifesta 16 Ruhr, and the Polish Institute Düsseldorf sees itself as a collaborator of this biennial of contemporary art. Thus, an art experience emerges that aims to be not only viewed but read in dialogue with history. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Education, Mediation, and Audience

The exhibition is complemented by educational and mediation projects, also targeting an audience that wishes to experience contemporary art beyond mere artwork observation. The response to the opening with artists, curators, students, and guests from the region underscores the relevance of themes of memory, identity, power, and resistance. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Conclusion

Share and Rule is an exhibition for everyone who understands painting as critical thinking in image form. Mikołaj Sobczak connects art historical reflection with precise contemporary analysis and makes visible how alive history can be negotiated in contemporary art. Anyone interested in political imagery, curated art mediation, and a demanding art experience should definitely visit this exhibition in Düsseldorf live. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Voices of the Visitors:

The official opening attracted a remarkably diverse audience, including artists, curators, representatives of the cultural scene, and students. The lively discussions showed a strong interest in Sobczak's perspective on history and the present. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/04/10/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Official Channels of Mikołaj Sobczak:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polish_institute_duesseldorf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolnischesInstitutDuesseldorf/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PolnischesInstitut
Website: https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/

Experience Mikołaj Sobczak at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf: Share and Rule

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