Marcin Maciejowski in Krakow

Tak Jest is Polish for That's How it is. How do I know? Cos its the title of a major exhibition of work by the young Polish visual artist Marcin Maciejowski. I saw it on Tuesday at the National Museum in Krakow. Well I was in the cultural capital of Poland so after I had done the Zoo, the acquarium and eaten my body weight in pierogi, I had to do something cultural!

It's the first time Maciejowski has ever had such a comprehensive show. And at 36 this seems to be his moment in the sun.

Before I walked into the museum gallery I had never heard of him. Now I am his biggest fan. But the zloti can only stretch to buying a couple of post cards of his work before I leave. I pick two. They couldn't be further apart but both bear his stamp.

The first is called VIP, dating from 2008, images of celebrity subverted. Newspaper or magazine photos of famous actresses posing on the red carpet should exude the glamour and glitz of the opening night, but the glamour becomes sinister as the women have all been painted minus their facial features. It's celebrity gossip magazine turned on its faceless head. 

The other one dates from 1999 and is called "Z prezydentem Aleksandrem Kwasniewskim i jego zona Jolanta""which translates as "With President Aleksander Kwasnieski and His wife Jolanta". The person the President of Poland and his wife are "with" isn't faceless like the VIP actresses. In fact he's so famous he doesn't need a namecheck. It's the late Pope John Paul the Second, the former Archbisop of Krakow, Karol Wojtyla who famously played goal for Cracovia and who could be seen as the godfather of Krakow, his image everywhere from a lifesize statue in the grounds of the Wawel the city's castle to photos of him in every souvenir shop.

Tak Jest That's How it is. If you're in Krakow the exhibition is on until the 23rd May.