Mikołaj Sobczak. Share and Rule at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf
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Mikołaj Sobczak in Düsseldorf: An exhibition about power, memory, and alternative narratives
With “Share and Rule”, the Polish Institute Düsseldorf presents from 10 September 2026 the first institutional solo exhibition of Mikołaj Sobczak in the city. The show gathers key works from various phases of his oeuvre and opens up an art experience that connects historical painting, video, performance, and sculptural objects into a dense, multifaceted narrative.
History as an open field
Sobczak does not understand history as a fixed archive, but as a contested space. In his large-format, often surreal image worlds, historical and contemporary figures meet beyond the boundaries of time and space. This staging creates a special exhibition atmosphere: images become thinking figures, and the contemplation of works turns into an engagement with memory, power, and representation.
Rethinking historical painting
The artist questions the conventions of historical painting and develops alternative scenarios in which marginalized voices become visible. Particularly the queer and trans perspective shapes his works. Those interested in art history, political image strategies, and contemporary painting will find an exhibition here that deliberately subverts the classical narrative of heroes, nation, and power.
Between painting, video, and performance
Mikołaj Sobczak's practice goes beyond painting. His works combine video, performative elements, and objects into an expanded concept of art. In Düsseldorf, works are shown that do not illustrate historical content but question it. The result is an aesthetic experience in which color, figure, and spatial effects repeatedly provoke new interpretations.
Manifesta 16 Ruhr as an important context
The exhibition is closely related to Manifesta 16 Ruhr, in which Sobczak is also involved. This gives the presentation additional relevance: it locates itself within a larger European discourse on contemporary art, cultural education, and the question of how institutions can reopen historical narratives. Curated by Krzysztof Kościuczuk, the exhibition showcases the polyphony of an art that thinks politically without losing its formal power.
What visitors can expect
Visitors will see not linear historical images, but powerful tableaux that work with contradictions, breaks, and projections. The exhibition invites a critical examination of historical narratives while experiencing the sensory power of art. Those who value museums and galleries as places of reflection and cultural education should definitely visit this presentation live.
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