I am a sculptor and researcher working in a variety of techniques and media, however particularly glass and salvaged materials.
My work is fundamentally concerned with where the truth lies, what truth is and why we do not try to better understand and be more tolerant of each other’s perspectives.
I am highly experimental in my work, being unprepared to let the seeming limitations of a medium constrain what I can achieve. This questioning approach, always searching for the underlying truth of what is possible technically, reflects my conceptual aesthetic of where “truth” lies.
Having lived in Edinburgh, Warsaw, Moscow, Hong Kong and Hoon (Libya) I still travel a great deal. Throughout my travels over the last 30 years I have maintained a permanent base in the beautiful historic city of Durham in North East England. Both my travels and the historic context of my permanent base are highly influential on my work.
Solo Exhibitions and Presentations
August 2024
Exhibition and residency, Center of Polish Sculpture, Orońsko, Poland
March 2024
Exhibition and residency, Colleges, Kenya and Uganda
September 2023
Presentation, Fine Art Department, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Presentation, Glass and Ceramic Department, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Presentation, the School of Fine Arts, Shandong University, Jinan, China
June 2022
Presentations and residency, Fine Art Department, Glass and Ceramic, Universidade De Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
From 5th July 2019
Crucifixion (Tolerance II), (permanent exhibition), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
September 2017
Inner Space in Sculpture II, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge University, U.K.
June 2017
Inner Space in Sculpture I, Sunderland University, U.K.
December 2015 – May 2019
Crucifixion (Tolerance I), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
October 2015
Crucifixion, 6th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
May 2015
Presentation and workshop, the British School of Design, Moscow, Russia
April 2015
Presentation, Stroganov Academy of Art, Moscow, Russia
October 2014
Presentation, Irkuck Academy, Irkuck, Russia
March 2014
Crucifixion Exhibition, Durham Castle, Durham, U.K.
February & July 2013
Exhibition and residency, City of London Academy, London, U.K.
April 2012
Presentation, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
May 2011 – February 2016
Exhibition, Bede’s World, Jarrow, U.K.
August 2011
Presentation, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
21 June 2011
Presentation, AIR Salon at the BALTIC, Gateshead, U.K.
February – March 2010
Presentation, Wrocław Academy of Fine Arts, Wroclaw, Poland
December 2008
Presentation, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
August 2008
It’s my place II, Old College of the University of Edinburgh, part of Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, U.K.
March 2008
Exhibition and residency, Isleworth and Syon College, London, U.K.
October 2007
Exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts, Kraków, Poland
2000 – 2010
Annual exhibition, Durham Castle, Durham University, Durham, U.K.
2003
Ecce homo I!, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, U.K.
From September 2003
Frozen in time II, Durham Castle, Durham University, Durham, U.K.
August 2002 – February 2006
Echo of the Past, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, U.K.
June 2002 – 2003
Flock IV, Durham Castle, Durham University, Durham, U.K.
April 2002
Echo of the Past, a sculpture upon the Neville Screen, Durham Cathedral, Durham, U.K.
February 2002
Light-ning, British Embassy, Reykjavik, Iceland
Joint exhibitions
September 2023
“National Icons” Exhibition, the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society & SGS, Trades House, Glasgow, Scotland
August-September 2022
Summer Exhibition, the Scottish Glass Society, Glasgow, Scotland
July-August 2022
192nd RHA Annual Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, Ireland
November 2021
Northumberland Open Exhibition, Wooler Arts, UK.
July 2017
Exhibition, Association of Polish Artists, Sculpture Section, Warsaw, Poland
June – September 2016
Exhibition organized by the J.G. Stroganov Academy of Art, Moscow, Russia
April 2014
Exhibition organized by Sunderland University at Bede’s World, Jarrow, U.K.
February – March 2014
Exhibition of award-winning designs for the Ballet Dancers Monument competition, Galleria Freta, Warsaw, Poland
October 2013
Exhibition, Association of Polish Artists, Sculpture , Warsaw, Poland
August 2013
Grow!, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, U.K.
June – July 2013
Exhibition of award-winning designs for the Ballet Dancers Monument competition, Polish Ministry of Culture, Warsaw, Poland
November 2012 – May 2013
International exhibitions to support the Free Association of Syrian Expats, Warsaw, Poland; Cairo, Egypt; Alexandria, Egypt; and Dubai.
September – October 2012
Past shaped the Present, Art Center, Washington, U.K.
August – September 2012
Sculpture workshops and exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland
July – August 2012
Stourbridge International Festival, Gallery90 Plowden-Thompson, U.K.
March – April 2011
A Journey, Bede’s World, Jarrow, U.K.
May 2009
Scar exhibition, Art Space, Edinburgh, U.K.
May 2009
Exhibition, Shame Place, Saltmarket, Glasgow, U.K.
April 2009
Exhibition, Out of the Blue, Edinburgh, U.K.
July – August 2008
It’s my Place I, Craigmillar Art Space, Edinburgh, U.K.
July – August 2008
Razem, Rocket Venues, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh, U.K.
November 2007
The Place, St. Patrick’s Church, Glasgow, U.K.
February – March 2007
Exhibition, the First International Sculpture Symposium, Tehran, Iran
September – October 2006
Different ways to work with Concrete, an exhibition and International Conference, Fine Arts Academy Krakow, Poland
April – May 2005
Glimmer, Leeds, U.K.
December 2003
Vetrospective, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
June 2003
Exhibition, Crook Hall, Durham, U.K.
March 2003
Blast, Cork Street Gallery, London, U.K.
June – Sep 2002
NEWdirections, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, U.K.
June – August 2002
Diversity, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, U.K.
September – October 2001
C-Through, The Chink in the Wall, North Lincolnshire
2001 – 2003
The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Surrey, U.K.
2000 – 2004
Alison Breeze Gallery Art Apartment, Knaresborough, U.K.
August – October 2000
Award Winners, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, U.K.
August – September 2000
Philips International Fine Art Auctioneers, Newcastle, U.K.
Commissions
2019
Mummy (sculpture), Professor G. R. Boys-Stones, donated to Durham University, U.K.
2016
Crucifixion (installation), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
2014
The Mechanism of Celebrity, (installation), City of London Academy, London, U.K.
2013
Lumiere (installation), Durham University, Durham, U.K.
2013
Untitled (sculpture), Hempel Metals Ltd., Reading, U.K.
2012
Frozen in Time (sculpture), Durham Castle, Durham University, Durham, U.K.
2009
Flock II (installation), Consulate of the Republic of Poland, Edinburgh, U.K.
2009
Flock III (installation), Shopping Centre Outlet Factory, Lubon, Poznan, Poland
2008
The Mechanism of Celebrity II, (installation), Craigmillar Art Space, Edinburgh
2008
The Mechanism of Celebrity I, (installation), Isleworth and Syon College, London, U.K.
2007
Reflection (sculpture), Ministry of Culture, Tehran, Iran
2006
Hammock (sculpture), Polish Concrete Ltd., Krakow, Poland
2005
Best Business Award, Investment in People, North East England, U.K.
2002
Untitled (sculpture), Bishop Barrington School, Bishop Auckland, U.K.
2002
T-shirts (sculpture), King James I Community College, Bishop Auckland, U.K.
2001
British Gas Trophy, North East Press Awards, U.K.
2001
Untitled (sculpture), Staindrop Comprehensive School, Staindrop, U.K.
Grants
2017
Exhibition and a conference grant from the Society of Glass Technology, Sheffield, U.K.
2015
Exhibition grant, 6th Moscow Biennale exhibition, S.G. Stroganov Academy of Art, Moscow
2015
Exhibition grant, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
2014
Conference grant, Sunderland University, Sunderland, U.K.
2014
Conference grant, the Society of Glass Technology, U.K.
2013
Research support, Academy of Technology, Krakow, Poland
2013
Research support from Hempel Metals Ltd., Reading, U.K.
2013
Research grant, Sunderland University, Sunderland, U.K.
2011
Research grant, Sunderland University, Sunderland, U.K.
2010
Research grant, Sunderland University, Sunderland, U.K.
2008
Project grant, It’s my Place, Awards for All, Lottery Funding, U.K.
2008
Project grant, It’s my Place, Polish Senate, U.K.
2006
Exhibition grant, Working with Semi-transparent Concrete, Arts Council England
2006
Research grant, Academy of Fine Art, Krakow and Polish Concrete Ltd.
2004
Exhibition and conference grant, Annual Glass Art Society Conference, Cohesion – European Union, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2003
Relationship development grant, British Embassy at Reykjavik, Iceland and Trade Partner UK
2002
Project grant, Working with Glass, Paul Hamlyn Foundation
2001
Exhibition grant, Arts Council England
2001
Project grant, Durham Local Education Authority & Arts Council England
2000
Visual Arts Award grant, Arts Council England
Awards
2015
Winner of the Creative Glass Guild Awards, U.K.
2013
Award for a design for the Ballet Dancer Monument competition, Foksal Gallery and the Association of Polish Artists, Warsaw, Poland
2000
Shortlisted, the Guardian Award, New Designers, U.K.
Invited Lectures
September 2023
Invited Lecture: “Fine Art and Technology: Applications of Transparent Materials”, Fine Art Department, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
September 2023
Invited Lecture: “Fine Art: Applications of Transparent Materials; Considering New Space”, The School of Fine Arts, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
September 2023
Keynote Lecturer: Glass as a medium for fine art and technology. Education, cooperation and communication between artists and scientists; SGT History and Heritage, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, UK
Publications
G. Bialek: Glass as a medium for fine art and technology: Education, cooperation and communication between artists and scientists; Cambridge February 2024, Aspects of Historic Glass; Society of Glass Technology periodical; UK
G. Bialek: Glass as a Fine Art Medium: Brief History and the Role of Adriano Berengo as a Fine Art Glass Impresario, 17 January 2022 Arts 2022, 11(1), 19; Arts journal; Switzerland
G. Bialek, J. Kelly: Fine Art, Crafts and Technology, cross-disciplinary cooperation; Glass Art Society conference – invited presentation 20-22 May 2021; the conference presentation will be published in GAS journal; USA.
G. Bialek, J. Kelly: Entrapment within Inner Space: The Development and Review of Other Materials as Intentional Inclusions within Glass as a Creative Artistic Practice, 15 January 2021 Arts 2021, 10(1), 5; Arts journal; Switzerland.
G. Bialek: From the Application of Printings to Metal Inclusions in Glass: Development of Techniques January 2019 Arts 8(1):18; DOI: 10.3390/arts8010018; Arts journal; Switzerland.
G. Bialek: Inner space in sculpture: The use of metal inclusions in glass; Cambridge September 2017, Aspects of Historic Glass; Society of Glass Technology periodical; UK
2000-present
Self-employed artist
2015 – 2016
Visiting Professor, British School of Design in Moscow
2014 – 2016
Visiting Professor, S.G. Stroganov State Academy of Arts and Industry, Moscow
2007 – 2010
Director, Artist in Residence and Freelance Coordinator of It’s my Place
2008 – 2009
Artistic Director, First Polish Cultural Festival in Edinburgh
2006 – 2011
Visiting Professor, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, Krakow, Poland
2005 – 2016
Freelance Coordinator collaborating between H.E. Art Schools in the U.K. and those in Poland, Columbia, Hong Kong, Chile and Russia
2000 – 2006
Lecturer at New College, Durham
1994 – 2011
Art Secretary and Mentor, University College, Durham Castle, Durham University, UK
Tutor in the Students Arts Association, Durham University
1993 – 1995
Grant Supervisor, running a large Tempus project for the European Commission, involving seven universities from five countries, Durham University
Since 2021
Board Member of Scottish Glass Society, Scotland
Since 2012
A member of the International Association of Art to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO
Since 2012
A member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers, APAD
2012 – 2016
Vice Chairman of International Relations, Warsaw Chapter, APAD
Since 2012
A member of the British Society of Glass Technology
Board Member of SGT History and Heritage Committee
2017
Ph.D. Inner Space in Sculpture: the use of metal inclusions, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, U.K.
2006
PGCE (QTLS), University of Sunderland and New College, Durham, U.K.
2005
PGCE (PCET) Teaching Training, New College, Durham, U.K.
2003
M.A. (Distinction) Fine Art in Sculpture and Applied Art in Glass, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, U.K.
2000
B.A. (Hons.) Fine Art in Sculpture and Applied Art in Glass and Ceramics (2:1), University of Sunderland, Sunderland, U.K.
1986
M.Sc. Economics, specialising in Economic Cybernetics and Computer Science, University of Warsaw, Poland