{"id":2041033,"date":"2026-07-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2041033"},"modified":"2026-07-13T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T21:00:00","slug":"helena-minginowicz-transforms-humble-paper-towel-into-ethereal-paintings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2041033","title":{"rendered":"Helena Minginowicz Transforms Humble Paper Towel into Ethereal Paintings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1893\" height=\"1077\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-7-e1783955577732.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a painting of a contorted white dove on two sheets of paper towel\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of Helena Minginowicz, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Helena Minginowicz Transforms Humble Paper Towel into Ethereal Paintings<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-07-13T12:00:00-05:00\">July 13, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F07%2Fhelena-minginowicz-paper-towel-renaissance-paintings-value%2F&amp;title=Helena%20Minginowicz%20Transforms%20Humble%20Paper%20Towel%20into%20Ethereal%20Paintings\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"475798\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cCivilizations are remembered through their monuments, but understood through the things they throw away,\u201d says artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/santa___helena\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Helena Minginowicz<\/a>, whose sensitive paintings interrogate our understanding of value. Using airbrushed acrylic, which can be built up in lightweight, translucent layers, the artist takes one of the most quotidian household items as a starting point: paper towel.<\/p>\n<p>With its machine-embossed, moisture-wicking patterns, the absorbent paper comprises an instantly recognizable substrate. The precise, textured flourishes are aesthetically pleasing, and yet it\u2019s hard to completely separate them from our associations with mass-produced paper products that are designed for one-time use and disposability. This dichotomy sits at he heart of Minginowicz\u2019s practice, in which she explores \u201chow changing the hierarchy of materials can reshape the way we perceive value, dignity, and the human experience,\u201d she tells Colossal.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-9-e1783951983777.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1857\" height=\"1093\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-9-e1783951983777.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of a woman&apos;s face, inspired by a Renaissance portrait, on two sheets of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475804\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Minginowicz\u2019s embossed pieces from everyday domestic material are one facet of a broader multimedia approach to materiality in which she creates paintings on canvas and also painstakingly embosses delicate tissues. The paper towel works, in addition to some that are made on supermarket-style plastic bags, are then presented between thick slabs of acrylic, transforming them into objects with substantial heft and dimensionality.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery civilization constructs its own hierarchy of values,\u201d the artist says. \u201cIt decides what deserves to be preserved, admired, and passed on to future generations. Monuments, works of art, symbols, and myths preserve an image of humanity as we wish to remember it\u2014strong, beautiful, enduring, and heroic. Yet every monument has its reverse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Minginowicz\u2019 imagery draws on the style of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/renaissance\">Renaissance<\/a> paintings, especially focusing on expressiveness, intimacy, and the idealized female figure. One might think of Sandro Botticelli\u2019s \u201cThe Birth of Venus\u201d or aristocratic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/essays\/portraiture-in-renaissance-and-baroque-europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">portraiture<\/a> of the era. \u201cFor centuries, painting monumentalized what civilizations wished to remember: saints, heroes, gods, victories, myths, and ideals. I use that same language to ask a different question: Who deserves to be remembered with dignity? Not only heroes. Not only the victorious. But every human being.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Minginowicz is currently working toward a solo exhibition at <a href=\"https:\/\/galerieprima.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Galerie Prima<\/a> in Paris, which is slated to open on October 8. Follow updates and see more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/santa___helena\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-3.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2169\" height=\"2040\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-3.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of a man&apos;s face with a mark in the shape of a rabbit on his cheek, inspired by a Renaissance portrait, on a torn sheet of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475801\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-2.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2238\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-2.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of a man&apos;s face with a mark in the shape of a rabbit on his cheek, inspired by a Renaissance portrait, on a sheet of paper towel that is encased between two thick pieces of acrylic\" class=\"wp-image-475800\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-11.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1159\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-11.jpeg\" alt=\"two small painted female figures inspired by classical paintings on two sheets of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475809\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-5.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-5.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of a hand and breast from a Renaissance painting on on paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475806\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-6.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of two figures from a Renaissance painting on two sheets of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475807\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-10.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1573\" height=\"934\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-10.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of a hand and breast from a Renaissance painting on two sheets of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475808\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-1.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475798\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1769\" height=\"1979\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/minginowicz-1.jpeg\" alt=\"a painting of two people kissing, inspired by a Renaissance portrait, on a torn sheet of paper towel\" class=\"wp-image-475799\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block 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permission Helena Minginowicz Transforms Humble Paper Towel into Ethereal Paintings July 13, 2026 Art Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark \u201cCivilizations are remembered through their monuments, but understood through the things they throw away,\u201d says artist Helena Minginowicz, whose sensitive paintings interrogate our understanding of value. Using airbrushed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2041033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2041033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2041033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2041033\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2041033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2041033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2041033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}