Patara Gallery presents Zu Kalinowska’s first solo exhibition in Georgia, “Grit Your Teeth”.
5- 27 October
This is an exploration of labor, beauty, and human fragility through the lens of an artist: Fields at harvest time - reimagined as a site of both care and critique. At the heart of this exhibition is an interplay between real potatoes and delicate glass sprouts, the latter crafted to mimic potato shoots. The sprouts, made entirely of glass, emerge from the real potatoes, part of the installation is covered by latex skin stretched over the surface like a protective tarp, symbolising the fragility of human skin that, like the latex, is vulnerable to the harshness of the environment and at the same time acts as a protector. This duality between protection and vulnerability is central to Kalinowska's work: natural versus artificial, strength versus fragility, and visibility versus invisibility.
The potato, a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and humility—qualities she finds integral to her practice and to the concept of invisible labor. The potato, a crop that can grow in the most challenging of conditions yet is rarely celebrated, becomes a metaphor for the often unseen and undervalued labor of women, particularly within rural contexts. The multitude of glass potato sprouts becomes a visual manifestation of this resilience, with their delicate yet persistent form standing as a testament to the ability to thrive amidst adversity. By positioning the glass sprouts as the central work, Kalinowska highlights the fragile yet enduring strength inherent in both nature and human experience.
By mixing organic and artificial materials, Kalinowska bridges the gap between the natural and the constructed, echoing feminist explorations of how women’s bodies and labor are both controlled and marginalised. The juxtaposition of beauty and disgust in her materials forces the viewer to confront societal discomfort with the intimate and the grotesque. In “Grit Your Teeth,” Kalinowska creates an environment where labor, care, and human fragility coalesce, urging the viewer to reflect on the invisible histories and ongoing struggles of women’s work in both rural and capitalist contexts.
Photos: Nata Kipiani
Exhibition is sponsored by Women's Fund in Georgia.