Inner Portraits

A collection of Stanslav Szukalski's portraiture works, including essays and background on many of the artworks. Inner Portraits provides a major survey of Szukalski's work as draftsman, painter, and sculptor. This is a new edition: upgraded, expanded, and newly re-designed. Many images and texts in this edition have never been published before. Stanislav Szukalski (1893 1987) was an artist, anthropologist, and member of Chicago's artistic elite during the 1920s who spent his last years in obscurity. Today he is remembered for his political and scientific views and his brilliant sculptures. Highly regarded in both the US and Poland between the World Wars, he lapsed into obscurity, living and working "America's Cultural Siberia" (Southern California) until comic art collector Glenn Bray rediscovered him in 1973. Szukalski is now the subject of the critically acclaimed 2018 Netflix documentary Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski directed by Irek Dobrowolski and produced by Leonard DiCaprio.
Szukalski (1893-1987) was one of the great sculptors of the 20th Century. Szukalski was a Polish-born sculptor, writer, graphic artist, and heretic. Highly regarded in both the US and Poland between the World Wars, he lapsed into obscurity, living and working in "America's Cultural Siberia" (Southern California) until comic art collector Glenn Bray rediscovered him in 1973.
"The directness of Szukalski's work cut like a surgical knife into my psyche and released emotions I never knew existed. Every piece seems to overflow with conviction and information" - Danny Carey, drummer TOOL "Like some artistic Superman, Szukalski had the power to beam through his subject's skin, muscle, bone, and brain and pull out their naked soul for closer inspection. These inner portraits reveal an awesome talent." - Edwin Pouncey, co-editor of Montague Summers: Antinous and Other Poems
"I am amazed and intimidated by these portraits every time I look at them. Watching Szukalski's prodigious genius expand, undaunted by success or indifference, over the span of 60+ years, is remarkable and moving." -- Dan Clowes, artist