Michael Polakowski

Interviews by Brainard Carey

Michael Polakowski is a painter based in Detroit, MI. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently at Oever Gallery in Oostende, BE, in the two-person show ‘Near/Far’. In January 2023, his solo show ‘Anywhere and Here’ was mounted at Thinkspace Projects, Los Angeles, CA. Other notable exhibitions include the group shows ‘Potluck’ at Hashimoto Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA; ‘LAX / AMS’ at Thinkspace Projects, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Voyage’ at Nothing at All, Sheung Wan, HK; ‘Get Together’ at Reyes Finn, Detroit, MI; and ‘Pet Peeves’ at 5-50 Gallery, NYC. Polakowski was awarded the Red Bull House of Art Residency in the fall of 2019. He recently completed a mural in collaboration with the Detroit Institute of Arts as a part of their Partners in Public Art Program and has participated in Murals in the Market and Bright Walls Mural Festival. His works have been featured by publications like Juxtapoz, Booooooom and ArtMaze Magazine. Polakowski’s work is currently on view at 5-50 Gallery in New York City, in the two-person show ‘Back In 5’, alongside paintings by Ivan Montoya. ‘Back in 5’ is on view through the 8th of October. Michael Polakowski, 'I'll Be Back in 5', 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24” Michael Polakowski, 'Minor Inconvenience', 2023, acrylic on canvas, 46” x 36” Michael Polakowski, 'Kick Your Feet Up', 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24"