Marta Czok, stateless artist who chronicled migration, dies at 78
Marta Czok, a stateless artist originally from Poland, passed away from a heart attack on February 6, 2025, at the age of 78. She was born in Beirut to Polish refugees and moved to London in 1948, where she studied at St Martin's School of Art. In 1974, she relocated to Italy and married Valter Scarso. Over her career spanning more than forty years, Czok showcased her work at various venues, including the Polish Embassy in Rome, Alitalia per l'Arte, and Albemarle Gallery. Significant exhibitions featured Icons&Idols (2013) and a retrospective at Castello di Calatabiano (2014). The Fondazione Marta Czok was founded in 2020 to maintain her legacy. At the time of her passing, she was organizing new exhibitions in Italy, Poland, and the UK.
Key facts
- Marta Czok died of a heart attack on February 6, 2025, while working on a canvas.
- She was 78 years old.
- Born stateless in Beirut to Polish political refugees.
- Arrived in London in 1948 at age one, obtaining asylum.
- Studied at St Martin's School of Art.
- Moved to Italy in 1974, married Valter Scarso.
- Exhibited at MACRO Rome (2013), Castello di Calatabiano (2014), Museo Carlo Bilotti (2016).
- Fondazione Marta Czok established in 2020, chaired by Jacek Ludwig Scarso.
Entities
Artists
- Marta Czok
- Valter Scarso
- Jacek Ludwig Scarso
Institutions
- St Martin's School of Art
- Alitalia per l'Arte
- Albemarle Gallery
- French Embassy to the Holy See
- Polish Embassy in Rome
- Italian Cultural Institute in Warsaw
- TV Polonia
- Museo MACRO
- Museo MACS
- Museo Carlo Bilotti
- Konstanciński Dom Kultury Hugonówka
- Palazzo Ferrajoli
- Museo Civico di Albano
- Palazzo Antico Ghetto
- Palazzo dei Papi
- Palazzo Zuckermann
- Palazzo Zenobio
- Museo della Caricatura
- Centrum Spotkania Kultur
- AVR London
- Anise Gallery
- Fondazione Marta Czok
- Palazzo Montecitorio
- Complesso di Vicolo Valdina
- Palazzo Mathis
Locations
- Beirut
- Lebanon
- London
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Rome
- Warsaw
- Poland
- Catania
- Castel Gandolfo
- Venice
- Viterbo
- Padua
- Lublin
- Bra