On 5 June 2025, the documentary film “ABAKAMANIA. Magdalena Abakanowicz – An Individual Artist” will premiere. At the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, audiences will have the opportunity to see for the first time a moving story about the life, work, and legacy of an artist who forever changed the language of sculpture. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is one of the co-producers of the film.
ABAKAMANIA – A Story About an Artist Ahead of Her Time
On Thursday, 5 June 2025, the premiere screening of the documentary “ABAKAMANIA. Magdalena Abakanowicz – An Individual Artist”, directed by Róża Fabjanowska and Sławek Malcharek, will take place. The filmmakers set out to present the most significant and diverse works of the artist, created both in Poland and abroad. Their journey – both symbolic and literal – follows in the footsteps of the artist across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In this way, a portrait of Magdalena Abakanowicz emerges, told through the voices of those close to her, art historians, and her own works.
Magdalena Abakanowicz succeeded in revolutionising the field of textile art on a global scale. She was an unrivalled innovator in this domain, and her career was anything but conventional. Thanks to her “Abakans”, textile art – previously associated with applied and decorative crafts – was elevated to the realm of high art. In a 1995 interview, the artist said that she had always lived in her own reality – as if inside a transparent soap bubble – and that this was where she felt most at ease: outside the surrounding world, which she neither noticed nor wished to notice. The film seeks to explore the roots of this attitude, delving into the artist’s biography, the influences that shaped her, and her artistic legacy. The narrative is enriched by a painted portrait by Olga Wolniak, created especially for the production. The film serves as a powerful reminder of how unique and ahead of her time Magdalena Abakanowicz truly was.
Signature of Magdalena Abakanowicz. Photo: press materials.
Premiere of a Film About Magdalena Abakanowicz in Warsaw
The creators – Róża Fabjanowska and Sławek Malcharek – have produced over 50 documentaries on artists and art. “ABAKAMANIA” is their own project, created with passion and a deep conviction about the importance of preserving the memory of a towering figure in Polish culture. The film team included: Róża Fabjanowska (director, editor), Sławek Malcharek (cinematographer, co-director), Zofia Micyk (script), Mateusz Malcharek (original music), Robert Mańkowski PSM (editing), Michał Jachuła (content consultant), Leszek Stafiej (co-producer), and Michał Grześ (social media).
This biographical documentary about Magdalena Abakanowicz – one of the most renowned Polish artists of the second half of the 20th century – presents the story of an artist who, despite coming from Poland, then behind the Iron Curtain, created powerful sculptural installations that now occupy public spaces in cities across almost every continent. The title “ABAKAMANIA” reflects the global reach and lasting presence of Magdalena Abakanowicz within the international art world. The premiere of the film “ABAKAMANIA. Magdalena Abakanowicz – An Individual Artist” will take place on Thursday, 5 June 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Młynarski Hall of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera. Tickets and event details are available on the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera website.