Bartłomiej Kiełbowicz

Issues such as the defence of democracy, women’s rights, border control, climate change, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza lie at the heart of my work. 

I regularly publish my drawings on Instagram and in the weekly magazine Polityka, enabling me to reach a wide audience. I also work in urban spaces, where my banners and murals contribute to a collective voice of protest and solidarity. 

I work intensively, often reacting to current events, which lends my art emotional sincerity and relevance but also takes a heavy psychological toll. Working with sensitive topics makes me increasingly aware of the need to maintain balance and calm, enabling me to continue on this path with renewed vigour. 

I carry out most of my projects independently, investing my own funds and time. I am currently at a stage where I want to organise my work more clearly, update my documentation, refresh my website, and consider the future direction of my development, including its presence in private and public collections. 

You can find a broader overview of my work at www.kielbowicz.eu, and I publish my latest works and activities on Instagram: @kielbowiczbartek. 

My residency was supposed to be a period of peace—a chance to get my affairs in order and relax. However, it became the most intense chapter of my professional life. While the plan was simple—slow down, read, refine my website and take a step back—the reality was quite the opposite. Instead of tranquility, I found myself navigating three exhibitions, and instead of reflecting over coffee, I attended dozens of meetings with collectors and clients. What was meant to be calm organisation became a whirlwind of projects, rapid decisions and new collaborations.

During this period, I oversaw several significant projects, including a T-shirt design that unexpectedly went viral and took on a life of its own. I also established a foundation to formalise social activities that had previously felt beyond my control. My creative output culminated in me painting the National Theatre and designing a poster for a major performance.

The most significant benefit of this residency was the financial independence it provided. For the first time, I could spend money exclusively on my own personal development. Though it sounds simple, this shift changed everything. Without that support, I likely would never have pursued the coaching and therapy that helped me clear my head. This mental clarity enabled me to reorganise my career, recognise flawed patterns and let go of irrelevant issues, allowing me to focus on what truly matters. 

I have learned to plan six months in advance, a concept which once seemed entirely abstract. By developing tools that provide security and stability, I can now work with greater composure. I put deliberate effort into the sales process, public engagement and building relationships with clients. Ultimately, I have transformed chaos into a system and intuition into a strategy.

These six months were difficult, intense and occasionally exhausting. Nevertheless, for the first time in a long while, I feel calm about the future. I have a clear sense of direction and the tools to reach my goals.

The residency funding also allowed me to take my family on a much-needed holiday. Furthermore, meeting fascinating people at WOK was invaluable. We quickly realised that burnout, self-doubt, and a lack of structure in creative work are systemic features of our industry, not individual failures. It is liberating to realise that I am not alone in experiencing these feelings, which are a normal part of the creative process.

I am incredibly grateful for the use of the WOK space, the excellent AI workshops and the joint discussions. This period has been a true turning point.