Afterimages, unism, the Neoplastic Room — where our identity comes from

The name and look of Łódzka Galeria Sztuki are no accident. We draw on one of the most important traditions of the Polish and European avant-garde — one that developed right here in Łódź.

Unism and afterimages

Władysław Strzemiński developed unism in painting: a picture should form a coherent whole, with no element dominating the others. Katarzyna Kobro explored the relationship between sculpture, surrounding space and compositional rhythm. They worked together while developing distinct artistic ideas. Strzemiński also explored afterimages — impressions of colour that remain after looking at light. This experience informs our visual identity.

The collection and the Neoplastic Room

The “a.r.” collection grew through the work of Strzemiński, Kobro, Henryk Stażewski and the poets Julian Przyboś and Jan Brzękowski. Works donated by artists were first shown to the public on 15 February 1931, beginning the international modern art collection developed by the Łódź museum. In 1948, the museum opened Strzemiński’s Neoplastic Room: a space where coloured planes, architecture and exhibited works form a shared composition.

The gallery’s visual language

Hence our language: primary colours, black lines, rectangular planes, no ornament. We don't copy avant-garde works — we borrow their way of thinking: order, clarity, form reduced to the essential.

We believe this tradition serves contemporary art well. We want the artists' work to draw your attention, not the interface. A gallery should be like a good frame — present, but in the background. This is our nod to Łódź and to an avant-garde that is still alive here.

Further reading: Kobro and Strzemiński — Prototypes of the avant-garde and the history of Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź.