Natalia Sara Skorupa is a graduate of the Academy of Art in Szczecin and the University of Szczecin. A finalist for the Student Nobel Prize in 2025, she is also a recipient of a scholarship from the Mayor of Szczecin in 2025 and a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2022. Her work has been exhibited in Dubai, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, India, Kenya, Chile, Italy, Brussels, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and numerous cities in Poland, among others. Drawing on her sociological and artistic training, as an interdisciplinary artist, she creates films, sculptures, paintings, and performances about Polish culture, utilizing transgression, psychology, and corporeality. Her works are often controversial personifications of socio-political concerns and tensions. A winner of the Bielska Jesień 2025 competition, where she received a special mention, she is also a winner of the 32nd national review of young painting, PROMOCJE 2025. She lives and works in Szczecin.
Hi Natalia, it’s a pleasure to sit down with you. Let’s jump right into it. What does a regular day look like for you?
Natalia: I can’t survive as just an artist. I have a job to earn money, and I work as an artist. I go to work in the morning, then I go to my studio. I create in various places. On the train, I draw a lot and make sketches for paintings. On the tram, I easesdrop on people and write down their conversations. On the street, I take photos of various situations. I think everywhere. I work whenever I can.
Can you tell me about why you create politically engaged art?
Natalia: I think culture has a sufficient number of beautiful landscapes and genre scenes. Nowadays, artists create art about issues. There is no greater issue that impacts our lives than the socio-political situation. Art has educational value; it’s a privilege to be able to speak on a given topic and draw attention to something important. It’s worth taking advantage of this opportunity to communicate what we don’t like.
So do you even like Poland?
Natalia: I love my country. I love Poland so much that I can’t stop criticizing it. If we want our lives to be better and for change to occur, we need to talk about what needs fixing. If you love someone, you want them to be a better person, and I want Poland to be a better place for everyone.
Can you tell me about why you would never leave Poland?
Natalia: If every artist flees the country, who will stay? Who will show people the ropes in a system that doesn’t work. Instead of fleeing, it’s better to fix it.
Why did I become an artist?
Natalia: When I finished my sociology studies, I began my education at the Academy. I noticed that art is sociology in practice. As a sociologist, I observed what was happening. As an artist, I have the ability to scream, and that’s exactly what I do—I scream.
So what is your identity?
Natalia: I’m Polish. I’m a feminist. Some people are ashamed of it—I’m not. I’m a homosexual Polish woman who wants all minorities to have a better life.
Who are the people in your paintings?
Natalia: I paint two types of people: people who don’t exist, based on archives or myself and my family. The “Halina” series is a woman I invented. She’s a character who escapes patriarchy, defies norms and society, thus “cooking her husband,” “rase a Pole on her own,” and in the next painting, “killing the patriarchy.” My characters are vessels into which I pour a message. Sometimes it’s a redefinition historical and cultural figures and sometimes its just me and my family, witch is an example of a Classic family unit.
Alright Natalia, last question. What’s the story behind the tracksuit in your works?
Natalia: The adidas tracksuit is strongly linked to Slavic culture. It’s a garment that can be recognized among heterosexual men, the homeless, the poor, and even the wealthy. The queer community is redefining this symbol of stigma. Queer people and artists often wear adidas clothing. The brand itself offers more affordable clothing associated with right-wing groups, and there are also luxury collaborations. The figures in my paintings wear tracksuits as a sign of identification with the queer community. It’s a symbol of identity and pride. The women in my paintings are lesbian patriots who wear tracksuits in their national colors.
So what exactly is it that you think is wrong with Poland? Like where do you think things go wrong as a country?
Natalia: The Polish problem is a hysterical focus on vanishing pseudo-family and pseudo-Catholic values. The government is trying at all costs to divide the nation, persuading its elderly and divided citizens to follow the voice of the far right, which nurtures fascism and patriarchy. The issue of intolerance towards queer people and people of color is a growing problem. Instead of opening up to others, we return to the issues of homosexual couples who cannot conceive, adopt children, or live under the same conditions as heterosexual couples. The patriarchal approach to women’s bodies is increasing: the lack of abortion in Poland has taken the lives of many women with complicated pregnancies. I dream of a world where everyone feels accepted and safe. But dreams need support, so it’s worth screaming and laughing through the tears.
