Born: 1908 Bielitz-Biala, Austria-Hungary (now Bielsko-Biala, Poland)
Died: 1988 London, England
Other name/s: Jolan Williams, Jolan P. Williams
Biography
Painter and printmaker, Jolan Polatschek-Williams was born in Bielitz-Biala, Austria-Hungary (now Bielsko-Biala, Poland) in 1908. Polatschek-Williams grew up in France and settled in London in the late 1920s, marrying David Jeffery Williams from South Wales around 1928. Polatschek-Williams first studied in Vienna, Kraków, and Munich and then at London's Central School of Arts and Crafts (now part of UAL) and the City and Guilds School of Art, once she moved to England. The couple lived in Carlton Hill, St John’s Wood in north west London.
Polatschek-Williams was primarily a painter. Her subject matter was broad, including rural and urban landscapes, carnival parades, portraits and classical still lives, while some of her works speak to the refugee experience. An undated and untitled piece, for example, depicts a scene of Polish refugees and horse-drawn carriages in strong colours, set against a wintry backdrop of muted tones. The earthy hues and soft brushstrokes emphasise the sense of cold and hardship, while the crowded composition conveys the chaos of displacement. The bare trees and indistinct buildings in the background further enhance the atmosphere of anxiety. Polatschek-Williams believed in the societal role of artists, claiming that they draw out details usually missed by the wider public (see, Marylebone Mercury, 1972, p. 27). Polatschek-Williams also painted portraits and her work, Molly (1934) shows a woman with a defiant expression, dressed in a red headscarf and a dark skirt, against a muted background. The use of vibrant colours and delicate brushstrokes highlights the subject's strong personality, while maintaining a sense of warmth and realism. The figure’s relaxed pose conveys both a sense of intimacy and confidence. Polatschek-Williams also worked in collage, and although she had an interest in sculpture, she did not have a large enough studio in which to fully explore the medium. On a smaller scale, her wood engravings bear a resemblance to those by German expressionist, Käthe Kollwitz. Moving away from representation in her later career, Polatschek Williams’s abstract works from the 1960s are characterised by vibrant colours and layered textures, reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism. Her compositions of intersecting lines and non-representational forms, evoke a sense of spontaneity, akin to the work of American painter, Willem de Kooning, while the playful, almost child-like forms resonate with Cobra and Art Informel works in Europe. ‘I do a lot of abstract expressionism,’ she explained in an interview, ‘and I have painted quite a lot of collage and relief. I started as a figurative painter and I used to be known as a landscape painter,’ (Marylebone Mercury, 1966, p. 9).
Polatschek-Williams exemplifies the largely overlooked female artist, despite an extensive exhibition history during her lifetime. Her works were featured in group exhibitions in the UK and internationally, at prestigious institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts in London, and she held several solo exhibitions, including one at Drian Galleries, established by Polish émigré, Halima Nalecz. She was also a member the Free Painters and Sculptors Group and the Women’s International Art Club (WIAC), exhibiting five paintings with the club in 1944, as noted by the local press: ‘Jolan Williams […], has contributed one of the loveliest of the exhibits, “Annonciata Monastery at Mentone” (No. 225). It is a rich study in oils of the monastery set on a hill overlooking the sea,’ (Hampstead News, 1944, p. 4). In the same year, she also showed with the Civil Defence Artists at the Cooling Galleries (Western Mail, 13 March 1944, p. 4). Later exhibitions were predominantly held locally in London, including with the Paddington Art Society.
Jolan Polatschek-Williams died in London, England in 1988. Her work is not held in the UK public domain.
Related books
- No author, ‘Black and White’, Marylebone Mercury, 3 March 1972, p. 27
- George Street, ‘What! No Tories at the Town Hall?’, Marylebone Mercury, 10 June 1966, p. 9
- No author, ‘Women’s International Art Exhibition’, Hampstead News, 30 March 1944, p. 4
- London Art Exhibitions Works by Women Painter, The Scotsman, 13 February 1954, p. 10
- Western Mail, 13 March 1944, p. 4
Public collections
Related organisations
- Central School of Arts and Crafts (student)
- City and Guilds Art School (student)
- Free Painters and Sculptors Group (member )
- New English Art Club (member)
- Women's International Art Club (member )
Related web links
Selected exhibitions
- Free Sculptors and Painters (group show), Rotunda Gallery, London (1972)
- The Art Society of Paddington Group Exhibitions (group show), Archer Gallery, London (1966)
- Jolan Williams (solo exhibition), Drian Galleries, London (1960)
- Jolan Williams (solo exhibition), Everyman Foyer Gallery, London (1959)
- Women’s International Art Club (group show), New Burlington Galleries, London (1954)
- Women’s International Art Club (group show), R.B.A. Galleries, London (1947 and 1950)
- Women’s International Art Club (group show), Suffolk Street Galleries, Pall Mall, London (1942 and 1944)
- Civil Defence Artists Exhibition (group show), The Cooling Galleries, London (1944)
- The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (group show), Royal Academy of Arts, London (1944, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1978)
