
DISCOVER MICHAEL POLAKOWSKI’S UNIQUE ARTWORKS
MICHAEL POLAKOWSKI
Michael Polakowski, born in the Midwestern United States in 1994, is a Detroit-based artist known for his surreal interpretations of everyday American scenes. A BFA graduate from The College for Creative Studies, he has made a name for himself with his distinctive blend of reality and abstraction. Polakowski's work, characterized by vivid colors and graphic imagery, invites viewers into a dreamlike world where the mundane becomes extraordinary. His art, spanning paintings to large-scale murals, reflects a narrative drawn from personal experiences and a keen observation of the environment around him. Through his surreal juxtapositions, Polakowski reveals a unique perspective on modern American life.
Michael Polakowski's art is a vibrant dance between dream and reality, where every brushstroke invites us into a world tinged with surreal wonder
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Michael Polakowski: The Surreal Storyteller
In the bustling art scene of Detroit, Michael Polakowski emerges as a contemporary maestro of surrealism. Born in 1994 in the Midwestern United States, his journey in the arts is a tale of transforming the everyday into the extraordinary. Educated at The College for Creative Studies, his canvases speak a unique language, where vivid colors collide with the mundane to birth scenes of surreal wonder.
Polakowski's art is a deep dive into the psyche of Middle America, each piece a narrative in itself. He takes the ordinary – a local store, a quiet basement – and infuses them with elements of the surreal, crafting scenes that are familiar yet unsettling. His use of graphic shapes, textures, and typography weaves together a story that invites curiosity and introspection. It's in these everyday scenes that Polakowski finds his muse, exploring themes of identity and reality through his distinct visual style.

Canvas of Dreams: The Art of Michael Polakowski
Polakowski's artworks are not just visual experiences; they are explorations into a world slightly askew from our own. With each stroke, he challenges the viewer to see beyond the apparent, to explore a realm where the ordinary is reimagined. His skillful blend of acrylics and airbrush creates an almost dreamlike quality, a hazy border where reality meets imagination.
In Detroit, Polakowski's murals stand as vibrant testaments to his artistic vision, each a large-scale embodiment of his surreal world. These public artworks bring his narratives of the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary to a broader audience, inviting passersby into his imaginative realm. His studio work, echoing the lush detail and vibrant colors of his murals, continues to evolve, always seeking to tell stories that hover on the edge of believability. Through his art, Michael Polakowski offers a window into a world where the surreal dances with the real, and where every scene tells a story waiting to be unraveled.
Michael Polakowski: The Surreal Storyteller
In the bustling art scene of Detroit, Michael Polakowski emerges as a contemporary maestro of surrealism. Born in 1994 in the Midwestern United States, his journey in the arts is a tale of transforming the everyday into the extraordinary. Educated at The College for Creative Studies, his canvases speak a unique language, where vivid colors collide with the mundane to birth scenes of surreal wonder.
Polakowski's art is a deep dive into the psyche of Middle America, each piece a narrative in itself. He takes the ordinary – a local store, a quiet basement – and infuses them with elements of the surreal, crafting scenes that are familiar yet unsettling. His use of graphic shapes, textures, and typography weaves together a story that invites curiosity and introspection. It's in these everyday scenes that Polakowski finds his muse, exploring themes of identity and reality through his distinct visual style.
Canvas of Dreams: The Art of Michael Polakowski
Polakowski's artworks are not just visual experiences; they are explorations into a world slightly askew from our own. With each stroke, he challenges the viewer to see beyond the apparent, to explore a realm where the ordinary is reimagined. His skillful blend of acrylics and airbrush creates an almost dreamlike quality, a hazy border where reality meets imagination.
In Detroit, Polakowski's murals stand as vibrant testaments to his artistic vision, each a large-scale embodiment of his surreal world. These public artworks bring his narratives of the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary to a broader audience, inviting passersby into his imaginative realm. His studio work, echoing the lush detail and vibrant colors of his murals, continues to evolve, always seeking to tell stories that hover on the edge of believability. Through his art, Michael Polakowski offers a window into a world where the surreal dances with the real, and where every scene tells a story waiting to be unraveled.


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Credentials
Residencies
(Upcoming) Artistic Fellowship – Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT – 2024
Artist in Residency – Gunner Animation, Detroit, MI – 2021
Artist in Residency – The Siren Hotel, Detroit, MI – 2020
Artist in Residency – Red Bull Arts Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2019
Artist in Residency – Fisher Creative Spaces Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2017 - 2019
Exhibitions
Group Exhibition – MIMA Museum, Brussels, BE – 2024
Group Exhibition – Cova Gallery, Eindhoven, NE – 2024
Group Exhibition – Galerie Zberro, Paris, FR – 2024
Knokke Art Fair – Oever Gallery, Knokke, BE – 2023
Duo Show – Oever Gallery, Oostende, BE – 2023
Duo Show – 550 Gallery, New York, NY – 2023
LAX / AMS – Straat Museum, Amsterdam, NL – 2023
Get Together – Reyes Finn, Detroit, MI – 2023
Potluck Group Show – Hashimoto Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA – 2023
Anywhere & Here Solo Exhibition – Thinkspace Projects, Los Angeles, CA – 2023
Ahora Group Show – Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center, Anaheim, CA – 2022
17th Annual Fundraising Gala – Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2022
The Big Painting Show – 333 Midland Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2022
Growth Group Show – Thinkspace Projects, Los Angeles, CA – 2022
Voyage Group Show – Nothing at All, Sheung Wan, HK – 2022
Across the Pond Group Show – Thinkspace Projects, London, UK – 2022
Pet Peeves Group Show – 550 Gallery, New York, NY – 2022
Detroit to New York Showcase – Deviate Fashion, New York, NY – 2022
SCOPE Art Fair – Playground Detroit, Miami, FL – 2021
Depth of Field Trio Exhibition – PLAYGROUND Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2021
Top of Mind Collection – 1xRun, Detroit, MI – 2021
How to Kill Your Houseplants Group Show (Curation) – KO Studio Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2021
A Room with a View Collection – 1xRun, Detroit, MI – 2020
Knight Foundation Emerging Artist Preview Exhibition – PLAYGROUND Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2020
16th Annual Fundraising Gala – Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2019
Art with A Capital A Group Show (Curation) – KO Studio Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2019
Murals in the Market Group Show – Murals in the Market, Detroit, MI – 2019
Salut IV – Gallery Nucleus Portland, Portland, OR – 2019
Fresh Squeezed Duo Exhibition – KO Studio Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2019
Walking Distance Solo Exhibition – Hidden Gate Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2018
Art with a Capital A – KO Studio Gallery, Detroit, MI – 2018
Salut III – Gallery Nucleus Portland, Portland, OR – 2018
ICON 10 Group Show – Red Bull Arts Detroit, Detroit, MI – 2018
Boys Will Be Boys – Whitdel Arts, Detroit, MI – 2018
The Bitters II – Whitdel Arts, Detroit, MI – 2018
55th Annual Illustration Exhibition – Society of Illustrators West, Los Angeles, CA – 2017
The Printer’s Devil – The Scarab Club, Detroit, MI – 2016