A Journey to Areas of Non-obviousness. Jerzy Bereś, Zbigniew Warpechowski and the Beginnings of Action Art in Poland

Abstract

There is no doubt that the transitional period of the 1960s and 1970s is now conside­red to be a time of radical changes in the visual arts. The transformation of that period aimed to clarify the role of the art form within artistic creations and it gradually became of pivotal importance to understand the meaning behind the artist's creative endeavour. It also impacted the presence of artworks in society, shifting the focus to conceptualizing the artistic situation, blurring the boundary between the artist and their work, and making the audience receptive. Jerzy Bereś and Zbigniew Warpechowski were among the most prominent representatives of the Polish neo-avant-garde movement who represented this distinctive artistic ethos. The paper presents the beginnings of their work and the ramifications of their public appearances, thereby expanding the concept of art.