Outsiders are back in full swing

The Outsiders exhibition started in 2021 focusing on graffiti and advertising as two urban phenomena, that can be examined through their overlapping traits. Graffiti artists, as well as advertising companies, display their work in public spaces. Despite obvious differences, both use similar tactics: multiplication (the more, the better); they focus on visibility (the bigger, the more visible, the better); and they use the same media (posters, stickers). They even draw inspiration from the same sources, such as pop culture, comics, and art. By using the tactic of overloading, combining numerous seemingly incompatible elements, we want to build an ultra-urban space reflecting the grassroots energy of graffiti, a full-of-stimuli visual utopia, a pleasant cacophony of surprising elements and correlations.

says Filip Kozarski, Layup’s co-curator

Since the first Outsiders opening, Layup has become one of the most popular galleries in Poland, gathering a few thousand visitors each weekend. Right now, we are working on the third edition of the exhibition. Outsiders is a process; we’re showcasing glimpses from the life and fate of the city—from its origins and early beginnings, through the expansion period, stabilization, degradation, and decay, until its spectacular disarray. Slowly, we are reaching the tipping point, saturating the space with more artworks each year

explains Łukasz Krajewski, the co-curator.