Why are images of girls in distress considered so alluring? Polish artist Aleksandra Waliszewska (born 1976) rebels against traditional representations of victimhood. In her paintings on cardboard, reminiscent of Raymond Pettibon, the girls do not need or want to be rescued; although seemingly innocent and vulnerable, they are depicted as forces of aggression and ruthless domination. Born during communism but coming of age after its fall in 1989, Waliszewska moves easily across cultural contexts, enjoying both institutional acclaim as well as popularity among Poland’s youth counterculture.

Part of the 2000 Words series conceived by Massimiliano Gioni and published by the DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, this colorful monograph, with an essay by Lauren Cornell, celebrates Waliszewska’s work, which calls into question society’s moral bounds by reveling in lawlessness and depravity.

Visual artist(s): Aleksandra Waliszewska
Contributions by: Lauren Cornell