“Civilizations are remembered through their monuments, but understood through the things they throw away,” states artist Helena Minginowicz, whose evocative paintings challenge our concept of value. Employing airbrushed acrylic that can be layered in lightweight, translucent applications, the artist begins her exploration with a mundane household item: the paper towel.
Characterized by its machine-embossed, moisture-absorbing patterns, the paper towel serves as an immediately recognizable surface. These precise and textured designs are visually appealing, yet they also evoke the utilitarian nature of mass-produced, disposable paper products. This tension lies at the core of Minginowicz’s work, where she examines “how altering the hierarchy of materials can transform our understanding of value, dignity, and the human experience,” as she explains to Colossal.
Minginowicz’s creations, made from everyday materials, form a part of a larger multimedia exploration into materiality, where she also crafts paintings on canvas and embosses delicate tissues. These paper towel works, along with pieces made from supermarket-style plastic bags, are showcased between thick acrylic slabs, elevating them into objects of substantial weight and dimension.
“Every civilization constructs its own hierarchy of values,” Minginowicz remarks. “It determines what should be preserved, admired, and handed down to future generations. Monuments, works of art, symbols, and myths capture an image of humanity as we wish to remember it—strong, beautiful, enduring, and heroic. However, every monument has its reverse side.”
Her imagery draws inspiration from Renaissance paintings, emphasizing expressiveness, intimacy, and the idealized female form. This evokes the style of artists like Sandro Botticelli and the era’s aristocratic portraiture. “For centuries, painting has celebrated what civilizations wish to memorialize: saints, heroes, gods, victories, myths, and ideals. I use that same visual language to pose a different question: Who deserves to be remembered with dignity? Not only heroes. Not only the triumphant. But every human being.”
Minginowicz is currently preparing for a solo exhibition at Galerie Prima in Paris, scheduled to open on October 8. For more updates and artwork, visit her Instagram page.
