A jungle has appeared in an unexpected corner of Białystok, where ten large-scale works turn children's imagination into a richly textured world.
There is something fitting about a jungle being recreated through imagination. Dense foliage, unfamiliar animals and mysterious creatures are natural subjects for young artists, but the exhibition “Dżungla” in Białystok goes further than simply illustrating an exotic landscape. Its ten works demonstrate what can happen when children's ideas are given time, materials and expert guidance to develop.
The exhibition opened on 25 August and brings together work by children aged between seven and 13 from the Art Studio of Dom Kultury „Śródmieście” in Białystok. The exhibition is presented at Galeria pod Sową, an unusual gallery space located inside Cukiernia Sowa at Alfa Centrum on ul. Świętojańska 15. The exhibition is free to visit. The city's official cultural calendar also lists the exhibition at the venue.
Rather than presenting the children's work simply as an end-of-course display, “Dżungla” gives their paintings a scale and physical presence that invites closer attention. Five works are painted on B1-format canvases measuring 100 by 70 centimetres, while five further pieces range from 50 by 70 to 60 by 80 centimetres.
The imagination is only the beginning
The jungle theme provides plenty of room for experimentation. Deep greens, wild vegetation and animals become the starting point for compositions in which colour is only one part of the experience.
The young artists spent several weeks developing the works under the guidance of Magdalena Pietraszko and Natalia Yefymchuk. Both are instructors connected with the Pracownia Plastyczna at Dom Kultury „Śródmieście”, which provides art education for children, young people and adults and teaches disciplines including drawing, painting, graphics and sculpture. The studio also presents students' work through exhibitions, giving artistic education a direct connection with public cultural life.
For “Dżungla”, the artists worked with acrylic paints, structural modelling pastes and metallic gold details. These materials change the relationship between the viewer and the painted surface. Leaves, animals and other elements are not confined to a completely flat plane. Instead, the structural materials create raised textures and layers, giving the works a distinctly three-dimensional quality.
That physicality is particularly important in an exhibition made by children. The works are large enough to occupy their surroundings rather than disappear into them, while the structural surfaces encourage viewers to look beyond the overall image and notice how the individual pieces have been constructed.
The result is a collection that reflects both imagination and learning. The children's ideas remain central, but the exhibition also reveals the techniques they have been able to acquire through sustained artistic practice.
From the art studio into public view
The setting adds another layer to the exhibition. Galeria pod Sową is not a conventional museum or dedicated contemporary art space. It is situated within Cukiernia Sowa at Alfa Centrum, placing the children's work within an everyday environment rather than separating it from ordinary city life.
That makes “Dżungla” an accessible introduction to children's art for people who might not otherwise visit an exhibition. A café and shopping centre may seem far removed from the traditional gallery, yet the arrangement creates an informal meeting point between everyday activity and creative work.
It also reflects the role played by local cultural institutions in developing artistic confidence. Dom Kultury „Śródmieście” describes its Art Studio as a place where children and young people develop sensitivity to art through both practical and theoretical activities. Students visit galleries and museums, meet professional artists and take part in competitions, while their own work can eventually enter public exhibitions.
“Dżungla” therefore represents more than ten interpretations of an exotic landscape. It is also a visible stage in the artistic development of ten young people in Białystok. Their paintings have moved from a local art studio into a public setting, where the wider community can encounter them on their own terms.
The exhibition's real subject may ultimately be less the jungle itself than what happens when young people are given the opportunity to explore an idea seriously. In Białystok, ten children have taken that opportunity and created a world that extends beyond the frames of their canvases.
Visitor Information
Exhibition: “Dżungla” (Jungle)
Dates: 25 August to 25 September 2026, according to the supplied event information
Venue: Galeria pod Sową, Cukiernia Sowa, Alfa Centrum
Address: ul. Świętojańska 15, Białystok
Admission: Free
Artists: Children aged 7–13 from the Art Studio of Dom Kultury „Śródmieście” in Białystok
