MODEL P4 SCULPTURE BY MAREK CWIEK

The Horizontal and Wall Sculptures by Marek Cwiek stand as compressed architectures, fragments of an industrial and architectural past translated into contemporary sculptural language. Through restraint, material intelligence, and spatial clarity, the collection establishes a dialogue between past and present, structure and abstraction, reminding us of the enduring power of form shaped by history, labor, and time

Architecture stands at the core of the series, particularly the language of the twentieth century. Postmodernism and Brutalism resonate throughout the collection, not as direct quotation but as distilled influence. The sculptures echo the mass, rhythm, and logic of built structures, while stripping away function and scale. In their place emerges a sculptural grammar rooted in memory, proportion, and material presence. The industrial landscapes of Upper Silesia, Poland, with their factories, infrastructure, and layered histories, quietly inform the work, lending it a sense of origin and emotional gravity

These works extend horizontally or engage the wall, emphasizing breadth, axis, and alignment rather than vertical ascent. Broad volumes stretch along a central line, their bent and curved profiles introducing movement into otherwise restrained compositions. Rounded edges soften sharply cut planes, creating a tension between precision and erosion, between industrial severity and sculptural sensitivity. The forms feel at once contemporary and timeworn, as though shaped by both design intent and prolonged exposure

Among the series, MODEL P4 occupies a singular position. Unlike the more abstract works, it draws direct inspiration from the former Forum Hotel in Kraków, a Brutalist landmark whose raw concrete mass and somber presence left a lasting impression on the artist. Once emblematic of mid-century architectural ambition, the building becomes here a sculptural echo. Its influence is evident in the work’s angular geometry, stark surfaces, and uncompromising restraint

The remaining sculptures move away from specific architectural references toward a more poetic abstraction. They absorb the spirit of twentieth-century architecture without binding themselves to any single source. Heavy forms are lightened through curvature, compression, and balance. By eliminating the unnecessary, Cwiek focuses on essence: volume, edge, surface. This reduction opens space for interpretation, allowing each work to function as a site of projection and reflection

Hand sculpted in Spain from stoneware ceramic, the material reinforces the sculptures’ sense of solidity and permanence. Each work is finished with a distinct, custom-developed glaze, often volcanic and uniform in appearance, designed specifically for the individual form. These glazes do not conceal the structure but accentuate it, tracing bends, planes, and transitions with subtle variation. Cool and tactile, the surfaces invite close inspection, making touch an integral part of this quiet meditation on architecture, weight, and the legacy of industrial form