Saturday, November 1 at 4:00 PM
picturehouse + thesmalldarkroom
437 W 16th St, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011
Please, RSVP

Join us for a conversation with Olga Sokal and David Kelley on Black Stone Burns.

Olga Sokal’s Black Stone Burns weaves together the complex stories of the people and communities whose lives have been irrevocably shaped and molded by the global mining industry. Made over four years across three continents and five countries, the project starts from intimate family stories and pictures from Olga Sokal’s hometown of Belchatow in Poland. Her journey then moves across the Atlantic to the lost American dreams of Appalachian coal mining towns in the USA, where images of dioramas are coupled with the stark reality of rampant extractivist capitalism. The visual strategies behind the continued promotion of coal are investigated through an analysis of the UK’s history with the black stone, as archival advertisements are juxtaposed with the current commercials that greenwash the country’s fraught history with coal and poverty. Finally, Sokal’s exploration concludes with the vast coal mines of China and the environmental degradation caused by such large-scale extraction.

Images: © Olga Sokal Black Stone Burns

Olga Sokal is a Polish-born visual artist who divides her time between London, New York, and Los Angeles. After completing her studies at CalArts in 2017, she ventured into both film and fine art, navigating a distinctive career that merges these creative fields. While Sokal has worked on high-profile collaborations with directors like Jordan Peele, Henry Selick, and Genndy Tartakovsky, her artistic exploration transcends the commercial sphere. Her work has garnered recognition, with shortlisting for prestigious grants such as the Vevey Biennale in Switzerland and the Mast Foundation Grant, marking her increasing prominence in the contemporary art scene. In 2020, she received the Michael Redman Project Grant, which she used to develop a book project slated for publication by FW Books in 2025, designed by Hans Gremmen. Sokal’s art is known for challenging boundaries, exploring themes such as identity, human connection, and the convergence of diverse worlds. Through her gallery exhibitions, she has cultivated a reputation for creating profound and evocative works that deeply engage a global audience. Her work continues to evolve, reflecting her unique perspective and expanding influence in the art world.

Co-presented by the Polish Cultural Institute New York.