biography

BIO OF THE ARTIST
Asja Tustanowska (b. 1992, Murmansk) – a visual artist and painter, also working across drawing, sound, and movement. She graduated from the Stieglitz Academy of Art and Design in Saint Petersburg in 2018, specializing in painting and costume design. In 2020-2022, she continued her studies at the Faculty of Painting at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław. She currently lives and works in Wrocław.
In her artistic practice, she explores themes of metamorphosis, identity, and experience. She investigates the boundaries between personal perception and external reality, delving into the complexities of relationships between everyday life and elements of metaphysics and mysticism. Her paintings are visual journeys into unknown worlds, where surreal expression intertwines with mystery and intimacy.
She has exhibited her works in solo and group exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Additionally, she has participated in various artistic projects and events.
Artist's statement
My work explores the themes of metamorphosis, transformation, inner searching, and the interaction between the visible and the hidden. Metamorphosis and inner searching are universal experiences. I delve into identities and personal stories, uncovering the continuous dance between what is visible and what is concealed, between structure and wildness. I am fascinated by the space on the border between the inner world and external reality—where everyday life intersects with hidden, intuitive layers of perception. Each of my pieces is a journey along the boundary between the known and the unknown, where surreal expression intertwines with mystery and intimacy.
My works often feature fragmented figures, multifaceted perspectives, and the shadows of movement. This is an attempt to capture the moment when a person stands at the threshold of different states, experiencing strong, often contradictory emotions simultaneously. The objects in my paintings are always tied to personal experiences and true stories. A real object becomes a symbol of an internal experience.
Frequently, my works feature guide-like figures—magical animals or enigmatic beings who carry secrets and seem to accompany the process of transformation. These figures appear to flow, transforming before our eyes. They are vulnerable yet radiate strength. This image evokes a sense of inner tension. We may be fragile, but we continue to move forward. We experience pain and fear, but it is often through these very experiences that our source of strength emerges. Joy and pain, beauty and tragedy intertwine, becoming the catalyst for inner transformation. These figures exist in a dynamic, vibrating reality, where the surrounding world seems to urge them into movement and whirlwinds. Their dance embodies anxiety and the longing for change.
Dance and music play a crucial role in my creative process. Before starting a piece, I turn on music and immerse myself in the task, first mentally, then physically. Music becomes a catalyst for emotions, memories, and associations hidden deep within my subconscious. The rhythm and vibrations initiate the process of inner searching—body, memory, and feelings—all of which then take shape on the canvas.
By working with my body in tune with the music, I gain access to symbols, archetypes, and mythological images from both the collective unconscious and my personal experience. This approach helps me connect with my inner world and translate internal metamorphoses into visible forms, creating visual stories filled with hidden meanings. Like the hero’s journey, which delves into personal and collective transformations, music becomes a guide to uncharted territories of the mind. The process itself becomes a metaphor for overcoming an inner journey filled with struggle, metamorphosis, and the discovery of new layers of self.
Oil and acrylic painting remain my primary mediums. I view the material preparation process as a form of alchemy. Mixing grounds, stretching canvas, and blending painting liquids—these are not merely technical steps but rituals. They resemble a search for truth and hidden meanings.
I also experiment with drawing, video, sculpture, and objects. My drawings often come to life on fabric, transforming into tangible, living objects that bridge the gap between two-dimensional art and textile elements.
My work is not just a reflection of change; it is the process of engaging with this instability. It is an exploration of the boundary of reality, where nothing is fixed or certain.
Individual Exhibitions
2024 Nowhere, Home Gallery Na Trzebnickiej, Wrocław
2017 Echo, Smolenka Studio, Saint Petersburg
2025 Open, Krakowska 34 Foundation, Kraków
2024 OFF ? UFF !, Gallery u Kosałki, Wrocław Off Gallery Weekend
2024 Tarot Licker: The Fool, Window Licker as part of Sygnals2Noise, Silent Green Transmediale Studio, Berlin
2024 Tamka Gallery Night, Gallery u Agatki, Wrocław
2024 Podwodny Wrocław Art Festival, Browar Mieszczański, Wrocław
2024 Bohema0.5, art center Warsztat, Kraków
2024 Intymność formy,art center Czasoprzestrzeń, Wrocław
2024 Czarny obraz na czarnym śnie, gallery Zakład Żeństwo, Szczecin
2023 Kap kap, przeciekły majtki,parkiet i ulice, Parkiet and Streets,gallery Sklep Karowa, Warsaw
2023 PGforever, gallery U Kosałki, Wroclaw
2023 Pod Swoją flagą, gallery U Kosałki, Wroclaw
2023 Rytuał, domowa home gallery Na Trzebnickiej, Wroclaw
2023 Group Exhibition "Brama", Traugutta 97, Wrocław
2023 Group Exhibition "I Don't Have the Strength Anymore," Supernova Theater, Krakow
2023 Group Exhibition "Spring Plein Air Painting," County Office in Wroclaw
2023 Group Exhibition "PG Forever," Gallery at Kosalka, Wroclaw
2023 Group Exhibition "Under Your Flag," Gallery at Kosalka, Wroclaw
2023 Exhibition "Ritual," Gallery on Trzebnicka, Wroclaw
2022 Group Exhibition "Intestines II," Gallery on Trzebnicka, Wroclaw
2022 Exhibition "Displayed," Deccoria Gallery, Krakow
2021 Spring Fair, Tętno Gallery, Wroclaw
2021 Art Fair, Wyspa Tamka, Wroclaw
2021 Exhibition "PSYCHEDELIA VOL 2," Polsat Plus Arena, Gdansk
2021 Publication of works in Polemical Zine Issue 16: FUTURE
2021 Publication of works in Grimoire fanzine
2019 Exhibition, Boutique-hotel, St. Petersburg
2018 Performance "Inner Landscape," Academy of Fine Arts A.L. Stieglitz
2018 Group Exhibition "Probuzdenie," Academy of Fine Arts A.L. Stieglitz
2017 Solo Exhibition, Smolenka Studio, St. Petersburg
2017 Exhibition "Romb," Griboedov Club, St. Petersburg
2017 RETHink Art Digital Festival, Rethimni, Greece
2015 Video for (costumes, paintings, editing) Saint-Petersburg Fashion Week
2011 Group Exhibition "Victory. Recorded Courage," Russian State Museum
2010 Exhibition of works by students of art schools, Regional Art Museum of Murmansk
2009 Participation in the video art workshop "Pan Barentz" Project / "MurmanskMotion"