When does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition runs from June 12, 2026, to October 9, 2026. The current daily program of the venue should be observed for visits.

Is the admission free?

Yes, web research confirms: admission free.

Where exactly can the exhibition be seen?

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

What media shape Mikołaj Sobczak's work?

His practice combines painting, video, objects, and performance into multi-layered narrative spaces.

What is the content about?

The focus is on historical narratives, alternative scenarios, memory, power, identity, and queer and trans perspectives.

Are there any information about tours or educational offers?

According to the organizers, the exhibition is complemented by educational and outreach projects; specific dates should be checked before visiting.

Mikołaj Sobczak Reinvigorates History at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf with Painting, Video, and Performance

Name: Mikołaj Sobczak. Share and Rule
Start: 2026-10-01T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-09T19:00:00+02:00
Location: Polnisches Institut Düsseldorf / Galerie

When History Wobbles: Mikołaj Sobczak at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf

With his first institutional solo exhibition in Düsseldorf, Mikołaj Sobczak invites us to view historical narratives not as fixed orders but as an open field of engagement. The presentation at the Polish Institute Düsseldorf features central works from various creative phases and raises questions about memory, power, identity, and visibility. Admission free. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Painting, Video, and Performance as Critical Tools

Sobczak's practice moves between painting, video, objects, and performance. His visual worlds intertwine historical figures, shifted timelines, and surreal tableaux into a dense examination of works, where history appears as a fragmentary, contradictory narrative. The Polish Institute describes his work as an engagement with historical narratives, placing marginalized perspectives, especially queer and trans experiences, at the center. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Alternative Scenarios Instead of Canonical Certainties

The exhibition gathers works in which Sobczak questions established historiographies and opens new interpretive spaces. Particularly striking is the connection of political imagery, art historical references, and aesthetic intensification. In a shown performance excerpt, The Peasants, the narrative jumps from the Haitian Revolution to the present, connecting music, costume, and collective memory. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

An Art Experience in the Context of Manifesta 16 Ruhr

The exhibition is part of the environment of Manifesta 16 Ruhr and was curated by Krzysztof Kościuczuk. Accompanied by educational and outreach projects, an exhibition situation is created that not only informs but also connects aesthetic experience and cultural education. The opening attracted a diverse audience from the art scene, curation, academia, and cultural mediation. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

The Artist in the Art Historical Context

Mikołaj Sobczak studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, was a scholarship holder at the University of Arts Berlin, and graduated as a master student at the Academy of Fine Arts Münster. In 2021, he received the Paszport Polityki; in 2026, he was also awarded the Villa Romana Prize. These awards underscore his growing significance in contemporary art. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))

Those who visit this exhibition will not experience a static chronology, but an exciting art experience between painting, performance, and historical reflection. Sobczak opens the view for repressed narratives and makes history as a present experience tangible. A visit to the Polish Institute Düsseldorf is definitely worthwhile for anyone seeking contemporary art with political and aesthetic depth. ([instytutpolski.pl](https://instytutpolski.pl/duesseldorf/2026/05/31/mikolaj-sobczak-ausstellung/))