1930 Born in Falenty, Poland
1950/54 Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland
1954/60 Paints a series of large gouaches on paper and canvas
1960s Creates monumental three-dimensional forms called Abakans, made out of materials woven by herself in her own technique
1970s Changes scale and material. Creates huge cycles of figurative
and non-figurative sculptures made out of burlap and resins, called
Alterations.
1980s Creates series of monumental sculptures using bronze, stone,
wood and iron. Installs permanent outdoor "spaces to experience" in
Italy, Israel, S.Korea, Germany and America.
1990/91 Upon the invitation of the Paris authorities concerning the
enlargement of the Great Axis of Paris, she designs Arboreal
Architecture, her concept of a modern, ecological city, in which
buildings organic in shape, are vertical gardens. Creates "Bronze
Crowd", group of 36 figures.
1992/93 Continues to work on "War Games" - huge tree trunks armed with
steel. Begins the cycle of "Hand-like Trees" - vertical bronze forms.
1994/97 Designs and choreographs dances deriving from her sculptures,
performed by "Asbestos", the Japanese Butoh dance group. Creates
"Hurma", 150 children figures and "Backward Standing", 60 figures of
adults. Creates cycles of monumental metaphoric bronze heads, animals
and birds follows.
1998/99 Creates huge oval forms out of concrete -"The Space of Unknown
Growth"- in Europe Parkas, Lithuania. Creates first groups of "walking
figures" out of burlap, then also out of bronze.
2000 Creates a Crowd of 95 Figures standing and walking bronze
2001 Creates two big groups of walking figures. Installs compositions of six birds out of aluminum
Magdalena Abakanowicz has been Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts,
Poznan, Poland, 1965/90, and Visiting Professor at the U.C.L.A. (1984).
She lives and works in Warsaw.