Graphic

Self Portrait, a 1982 serigraph by Andrzej Dudek-Dürer, is a work by an artist, who has been creating self-referential art for fifty years. His numerous self-portraits made over the course of this period reflect the dilemmas of identity, changes over time, as well as the impermanence of the body and objects.Dudek-Dürer made his debut in the late 1960s, when he realised he was Albrecht Dürer reincarnated. Being the seventh incarnation of the great Renaissance artist, he is a versatile artist who uses a variety of forms of expression and techniques. He is a graphic designer, composer, poet, performer and mixed media artist. He also made paper using his own original method, developed printing techniques – he developed several varieties of inks, including for serigraphy, as well as sophisticated graphic techniques. He has incorporated meditation and experiences he describes as ‘metaphysical-telepathic’ into his artistic activities. His works are based on the Eastern culture, meditation and the belief in reincarnation. Dudek-Dürer’s most famous activities include life performances: Sztuka butów, Sztuka spodni and Sztuka włosów, which started in 1969 and continue to this day. The artist – the living sculpture of sorts – appears in public always wearing the same, repeatedly repaired shoes, worn out, patched trousers, with long, uncut hair. He declares that life performance is the main element of his work, which includes other forms, such a photography and film, which can not only document but also capture the essence of these works. Andrzej Dudek-Dürer states his birth year to be 1471. He is absolutely convinced that Andrzej Dudek is a contemporary incarnation of Albrecht Dürer, a German painter, graphic artist and writer. This is one of the key theses of his life – completely and utterly conflating his own existence with art.

Marlena Chybowska-Butler