EDUCATION
PhD Photography Department Poznan University of Arts (2011)
BFA in photography Multimedia Communication Department of Poznan Academy of Fine Arts (2003), awarded diploma work
English literature (MA, 1997) and Russian literature (MA, 1996) Poznan University
AWARDS, RESIDENCIES
2012 Selected for ’31 Women in Art Photography’ Humble Arts Foundation 2011 Critical Mass (Portland) Finalist 2011 Together with BRUN collective won a curatorial competition for 7 Poznan Photo Biennial 2011 1st place at Raandesk Gallery in New York – Optical: Staged 2011 Scholarship from The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Poland 2011 Selected for The Collector’s Guide to New Art Photography Vol. 2 (published 2011) 2010 Selected for ‘Photographers:network Selection 2010 Siegen, Germany 2004 Artist-in-residence artist in WomanKraft Gallery in Arizona, Tucson, USA 2003 A scholarship from Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Colorado, USA 2002 Artist-in-residence ‘Florida - First Contact’ at Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida, USA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012 ‘Im-Placement‘ Platan Gallery Budapest 2011 ‘Lea – giveaway’ Pomada Initiative Warsaw
2011 Nibyniewielka Stara Galeria ZPAF, Warsaw 2010; ‘Lea – a wake’ Pomada Initiative Warsaw
2009 Elder Works, The Museum of Cinematography, Lodz
2009 Desire / Dechirer, Manhattan Gallery, Lodz
2009 Im_Placement II, International Festival of Visual Art inSPIRACJE, Szczecin
2009 Desire, Zderzak Gallery, Cracow
2008 Im_Placement, Wozownia Galery, Torun
2005 Off_g, 4 Photography Biennial, Poznan
2004 '4x5'', WomanKraft, Tucson, Arizona, USA
2004 Cze, Zakret Galery, Warsaw
2004 room, Okno Gallery Slubice
2004 rooms, ON Galery, Poznan
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)
2012 ‘artxwomen’ AA Fair Los Angeles 2011 ‘Heather’ ON Gallery Poznan
2011 ‘Optical: staged’ Raandesk Gallery New York
2011 The Collector’s Guide to New Art Photography Vol. 2 Chelsea Art Museum
2010 ‘Masses of Works’ – Yours Gallery
2010 ‘8 Warsaw Art Fair’ Ego Gallery
2010 ‘Black’ Thomas Kellner’s Photographer’s Network Siegen
2010 Instant 2.0 Gallery Warsaw
2010 Dress Zamek CCA Poznan
2009 Dress Elektrownia CCA Radom
2009 Snap to Grid Los, Angeles Center for Digital Arts, Los Angeles
2009 Figuracja czy abstrakcja II, Farbiarnia Gallery, Warsaw
2009 Figuracja czy abstrakcja II, Drei Art Galerie, Radolfzell, Germany
2009 wdt, Poznan Photography Biennial, Stary Browar, Poznan
2009 Different, Free, Equal, Green Gallery, Warsaw
2008 Desire, Art Forum Berlin – with Zderzak Gallery
2008 Odd Works, New Orleans Photo Alliance, New Orleans, USA
2005 Traces – Labirynt VII KOK Gallery, Klodzko
2003 The Present, Medium Gallery, Bratislava
2003 Things and Objects, Manggha Center, Cracow
2002 Negatives Florida – First Contact, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida
2003 F12, ff Gallery, Lodz
2002 Everyday Reality, Arsenal City Art Gallery, Poznan
CRITICAL TEXTS ON MY ART (SELECTION)
- Anastazja Dwulit „Kanapa, ciało i czas” – o fotografii Katarzyny Majak” Kwartalnik Fotografia No 10/2002
- Nancy Spencer, Eric Renner “Portraits and Figures by Women” Pinhole Journal Vol.19#
- Eric Renner Pinhole Photography Focal Press New York 2004 pp. 217-218
- Michał Jakubowicz „Językowe przygody fotografii” Rita Baum No 7 2003
- Lusia Slomkowska ‘Polish Photography Leaves Tucson, Arizona’ www.Fototapeta.art.pl,
- Piotr Wołyński „Terytoria – o Pokojach Katarzyny Majak” Kwartalnik Fotografia No 16/2004
- Krzysztof Jurecki „W latach 70-tych… dokument i inscenizacja” Format No 48 2005
- Krzysztof Jurecki „Fotografia polska po 1945 roku – (2006) Miigata Art. City Museum (Japan)
- ‘Zone Plate’ II Dni fotografii im. Edwarda Hartwiga Grupa Fotografów Lubelskich 13-17.05.2008
- Krzysztof Jurecki „O niematerialności i znikaniu fizyczności…” EXIT No 2 (70) / 2008
- Agnieszka Gniotek „Fotografki – najbardziej osobiście – Katarzyna Majak” Sztuka.pl nr11(152)
- Marta Eloy – Cichocka „Kasia Majak kontra Maja” Biuletyn Fotograficzny 12/2008
- Monika Małkowska „Śmierć na rynku sztuki – 13 Art. Forum Berlin’ Sztuka.pl 12/13 2008/2009
- Krzysztof Jurecki ‘Jabłko sad’ Kwartalnik Fotografia No 29/2009
- Krzysztof Jurecki : ‘Od problemu symulacji do nowego symbolizmu” Aspekty fotografii początku XXI wieku. Galeria Miejska Arsenał Poznań 2009
- Agnieszka Gniotek: ‘Historia ślubnej sukienki’ Format” No 56/2009
- Ewa Opałka ‘Brak pożądania’ Obieg 2009
- Przemysław Owczarek ‘Nieprzerwany ślub fantazmatu’ exhibition catalogue Desire/ Dechirer Manhattan Gallery 2009
- Stach Szabłowski ‘Uciekająca panna młoda’ exhibition catalogue Desire Zderzak Gallery 2009
- Monika Małkowska ‘Sukienka, która mówi’, Rzeczpospolita No 277 (8483) 26.11.09 p.A 20
- Eulalia Domanowska ‘Druga skóra’ Arteon No 1/2010
- Agnieszka Gniotek ‘Czy uda się uwolnić? Katarzyna Majak. Desire / dechirer, Łódź’ Sztuka.pl No 01-03/2010
- Patrycja Jastrzębska ‘Ubranie na miarę współczesnej sztuki’ Sztuka.pl No 01-03/2010
- Thomas Kellner ‘Portfolio photographers: Network selection 2010 – Wonderland’ Profifoto No 6/1- Juni 2010
- Witold Kanicki Sukienka w Centrum Kultury „Zamek” w Poznaniu Kwartalnik Fotografia No 33/2010 p.96
- Joanna Kinowska ‘Sukienka - dechirer’ – FORMAT 59/2011 pp. 98-99
MY TEXTS (SELECTION)
-Fototapeta „A visit to the Westons”
-Fotografia 11/2003 „A walk into the Labirynth”
11/2003 „Zone Plate”
12/2003 „John Sexton”
-Pozytyw 12/2001 – 05/2002 a series on Zone System „Grey Zone”
7/2002 „Viva Didżital? p.1 and 2
9/2002 „Viva Gates”
10/2002 „Center for Creative Photography” (Tucson, Arizona)
1/2003 „Witness to Infinity –Jim Vecchi’s photographs”
-Format 44 1-2/2004 „The Present”
-2004 „Point of View. Photographying the city. Post conference materials” Museum of History of Photography Cracow
-2007 PHOTOGRAPHY DAYS Lublin (05.2007) conference presentation ‘Images in Contemporary Culture’
-Introductory essay to 4 Photography Biennial in Poznan (2005)
-Introductory essay to ‘LAB EAST’ – a book on 30 Eastern European photographers (2010)
-Kwartalnik Fotografia ‘Hard Life of an Artist?’ No 28/2009
‘Arles for the 40th time’ ‘No 31/2009
‘Bratislava – Impressions’ No 32/2010 pp 79-81
‘Danny Treacy’s Antitypology’ No 33/2010 p. 53
‘The Visibility of Death’ No 34/2011
‘ICZ FQ Volume 12’ (2011) No 36/2011
-Boris Mikhailov’s ‘The Wedding’ - 1000 Words Photography Magazine (2011)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
- A curator, curated (among others) ‘Globe-all?’ young Polish photography exhibition at WomenKraft Gallery in Tucson, AR (2004); together with BRUN curatorial collective won a curatorial competition and curated ‘Margins’ at 7 Poznan Photo Biennial (2011); cocurated ‘9 Fotografia Kolekcjonerska’ (‘9 Collectors’ Photography’) – exhibition and photo auction (2011). - A critic and writer on a regular basis for Kwartalnik Fotografia (Fotografia quarterly) and 1000 Photography Magazine,
- Cooperates with other art and photomagazines like “Format", ”Fototapeta”, ”Fotografia”, ”Pozytyw”, ”Labirynt Piąty”, “Point of View. Photography of the city. Post-conference publication” (also conference presentation on E.U. Smith’s Pittsburg Project) Museum of History of Photography, Cracow 2004;
- Introductory essay to LAB EAST – the book on 30 Eastern European photographers (2010)
- An Introduction text to 4 Photography Biennial in Poznan 2005
- PORTFOLIO REVIEWER: Cracow Photomonth, Kaunas Month of Photography, Bratislava Month of Photography, Vienna PhotoMonth, FORMAT Festival Derby, UK, Łódź PhotoFestival