Mixed-media artist
I have a lifelong interest in material and experimental approach to painting underpinned by my interests in land art, landscape, and natural phenomena. This is why I moved my studio from the London metropolis to the Greek islands in 2010.
Marble Dust: Transformation, Renewal and New Beginnings
I discovered marble dust as a painting material shortly after giving birth to my son. At the time, through my postnatal lens, the dust symbolically represented renewal and new beginnings. At the material level it also spanned through time fusing with idealised classical forms. By drawing directly from the land and researching at the molecular level the flux and cyclicality of nature I sought a non-human centric alternative of beauty. Images of my first mammography inspired me to search further for the possible intersection between cells of the human body and landscape. Looking at microscopic images of human cells and of marble, I found the marble structures equally striking. And the bare, rugged and minimal landscapes of my neighbourhoods in Paros and Antiparos further inspired me to attune my creative practice to the place, the τόπος. In this process, I developed a close relationship with the ecologist Elena Symeonidou and the geologist Maria Birmpili. This time spent together, walking the lands and mountains and learning to see and feel through their scientific perspective, was invaluable in developing these new works that I present today at the Museum of Classical Archaeology in Cambridge (MOCA).
The application of the marble dust on a raw and unprimed canvas is a focused, meditative process which requires me to be mindful and aware at every stage, as the pristine, unprimed surface of the canvas can be unforgiving at times. The first step is embroidering – a repetitive and reflective act that connects me with the embodied wisdom of generations of women who preceded me, giving me a sense of unity, balance and purpose. Then the application of the marble dust and the balancing, the becoming of two opposing bodies – the texture of the dust and the watery quality of the medium – is at the core of this minimal and methodical process.
Following this interest in marble, I reached out to friend and fellow artist Cat Vitebsky. We studied together in London and what’s more, we share a unique bond which is a passion for material. Back in 2009 together we explored limestone quarries on Portland, Dorset (UK). So then, it was natural that we set out for the famed ancient marble quarry on Paros, Greece in 2019.
We have been nurturing this project ever since. With very small children in tow, it was challenging at times, but we embraced the non-hierarchical structure of a rhizome by creating a collective and connecting with our all-female contributors and experts, who further empowered the project. We worked across borders and time zones, cultivating not only knowledge but also trust, respect and empathy.
Mixed-media artist
Justyna Borucka was born in Warsaw, Poland. She spent her early years in Milan, Italy, and from 2001 to 2010 she lived, worked and created art in London, UK. She graduated with a BA (Honors) in 2009 from Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.
Since 2004, the artist participated in various group and solo exhibitions, with her art being featured in London, Tokyo and Gallery 39-K in Lahore, Pakistan. During this time in her life, Justyna’s art focused on an experimental approach to painting infused by her interest in
land art, material manipulation and object making.
Justyna later moved her studio to the Greek islands (Skyros, Andros, and Mykonos) where she focused on developing her art practice. Since 2018, Justyna has resided permanently in Paros with her family. Borucka’s intuitive insights combined with a methodological approach resulted in a series of abstract, mixed-media works. Metamorphosis Bones and Colours, Iridescences and Paros New Earth are all informed by and dedicated to the Greek landscape, τόπος.
In Athens, she exhibited her works in both group and solo exhibitions, including the personal exhibition Znaki Signs Σήματα at the prestigious Kantakouzenos Foundation, Amalia 4, Syntagma (2016) and In Blue at Malou Art Consulting (2015). Borucka new forthcoming solo exhibition curated by Giuliano Serafini, will celebrate the
150th anniversary of the beginning of archeological excavations at the ancient site of Delos, Cyclades.
In 2021, Borucka became a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts Greece. Since then, she also supports the Ronald McDonald Foundation in Poland by donating her paintings to charitable auctions and helping to raise funds for housing the families of long-term hospitalised children who are patients at the Children’s Clinical Hospital, UCK WUM in Warsaw. Borucka’s works of art can be found in private collections in Greece, France, Poland and the United Kingdom.
Borucka is a founding member of Paros Creatives, together with friend, Cat Vitebsky.
More about Justyna
Paros Creatives 