MISHA WAKS
Misha Waks is a Warsaw-based contemporary artist whose practice moves between painting, sculpture, installation, readymade objects, video and performance. Before fully entering the art world, he worked for many years as a designer, a background that still informs the physical precision and material sensitivity of his work. His artistic language often explores memory, identity, power structures, ecology and the social roles imposed on women, creating works that feel both deeply personal and politically charged.
1. What is the one thing you never leave the house without?
This can be an object, a garment, a fragrance, a habit, or a state of mind. I definitely never leave the house without my cats’ fur on my clothes. I have two cats, and their hair is literally everywhere on the couch, on the floor, even in the air. No matter how hard I try, something always sticks to me. I can use a lint roller, change clothes, check myself in the mirror, and still, when I step outside, I’m covered in cat hair. At this point, it’s just an inseparable part of my lifestyle. The only things I own and never take off are a signet ring I once bought, which became my wedding ring which, by the way, has an incredible story. I lost it in the sea during my honeymoon in Thailand, where it lay on the seabed overnight, and I managed to find it the next day after diving for a few hours. I also never leave the house without the ring I inherited from my father.
2. Which piece in your wardrobe has stayed with you through every version of yourself?
The one you return to again and again — timeless, personal, and always right. Tracksuits keep coming back to me in every form, casual ones, more elevated or dressed-up versions, homewear, studio wear, as well as ones for running and the gym. I have tons of them in every possible variation. That doesn’t mean I only wear tracksuits, though. I go through different phases and often completely change my look. Still, I try to wear things until they literally fall apart. I spend about 90% of my time working at home, where my cats are. So I have to wear clothes that can get ruined, because they’re constantly jumping on me, climbing all over me even while I’m working scratching, tugging, and playing with whatever I’m wearing. They couldn’t care less about what I have on. Honestly, they’re my main “audience,” so I don’t think much about it either. As long as it’s comfortable and I don’t mind if something gets damaged, that’s all that matters. The truth is, I’m not particularly attached to things.
3. What is your personal style code?
The rule, instinct, or feeling that defines how you dress and present yourself to the world. First and foremost, comfortable and warm, haha. I don’t have a single, defined style. I tend to adapt intuitively to the context and environment I’m in. I see clothing as something fluid and ever-changing. I’m much more drawn to blending in than standing out. I want my art to be visible, not me.
4. What do you value most in your relationships with people?
The quality that matters most to you in love, friendship, collaboration, and life. What I value most in relationships is freedom an easy, unforced connection without expectations. I appreciate friendships built on a genuine desire to spend time together, rather than on benefits or obligations. I’m drawn to people with a strong sense of humor and a healthy distance to themselves people who can laugh at who they are.I also often become friends with people I work with it feels like the most natural way for me to build relationships. I’m a bit of a workaholic and genuinely love what I do, so when I meet people who share that passion, those connections naturally evolve into friendships. Those are the ones I value the most.
5. What is your ritual for feeling well, grounded, and truly yourself?
A daily or personal practice that brings you back to your center. I have my morning rituals. I start the day with a cold shower, which helps me shake off negative thoughts. I also try to catch at least a bit of sunlight every day, whenever it appears.There’s also one small ritual that feels special to me having breakfast on the couch with my cat on my lap. It’s completely unforced, it just happens naturally: I feed him first, then prepare my own breakfast, sit down, and he comes over, jumps onto my lap, and settles facing me and that’s how I start every day. It may seem like nothing special, but to me, it’s a moment of pure happiness.
6. What is one thing — in fashion, culture, or life — that you have truly enjoyed lately?
A piece, a place, a book, a meal, a film, a moment, an obsession. What brings me the most joy are those moments when I unexpectedly create something that feels genuinely interesting in that exact instant whether it’s a painting or a photograph. That sense of discovering something entirely new gives me the greatest satisfaction.I also really value time spent traveling while taking photos, as well as being in the studio working on new projects. My obsessions work, creating, and photography are what define the moments that make me happiest.And if I had to name one thing that recently gave me the most pleasure it would be painting the word “HUJ”. on a leather jacket belonging to Marcell_Pustul.
