Karol Radziszewski's 'Ali' at BWA Warsaw Revives Forgotten Black Resistance Fighter
Karol Radziszewski (Białystok, 1980) presents 'Ali' at BWA Gallery in Warsaw until October 28, 2018. The exhibition resurrects August Agbola O'Brown, a Nigerian jazz musician who fought in the Polish resistance under the pseudonym 'Ali' during WWII—the only Black soldier to defend Warsaw against Nazi occupation. Radziszewski combines archival research with Cubist-inspired acrylic paintings, emulating Picasso's monochrome style and iconography. Works feature fragmented bodies, overlapping angles, and symbols of Polish resistance mixed with African motifs. The project critiques official historical narratives and implicitly addresses Poland's recent ultra-nationalist turn and rising racism. The show is a compact, multi-layered visual archive that challenges both historiography and modern art tradition.
Key facts
- Karol Radziszewski was born in Białystok in 1980.
- The exhibition 'Ali' is held at BWA Gallery in Warsaw.
- The show runs until October 28, 2018.
- August Agbola O'Brown was a Nigerian jazz musician who fought in the Warsaw resistance under the alias 'Ali'.
- O'Brown was the only Black soldier to defend Warsaw during WWII.
- Radziszewski uses acrylic paintings that emulate Picasso's Cubist style.
- The works are predominantly monochrome in gray tones.
- The project combines archival research with visual citations from Picasso and Polish resistance symbols.
Entities
Artists
- Karol Radziszewski
- August Agbola O'Brown
- Pablo Picasso
Institutions
- BWA Gallery
- BWA Warszawa
- Artribune
Locations
- Białystok
- Poland
- Warsaw
- Jakubowska 16/3, Warsaw