"The Ultimate Nirvana Of An Earthworm" Painting

Karol Kochanowski is a Polish-born contemporary oil painter based at Rogue Artists Studios in Manchester, UK. Moving to the UK over twenty years ago, his practice is deeply informed by a dual cultural perspective and his lived experience as a neurodivergent artist navigating ADHD and Autism. He views the canvas as a vital space to find structure within a naturally chaotic internal landscape, using the intuitive process of oil painting to translate the fragmented, unspoken layers of the psyche into a legible visual world. While his past work focused on semi-abstract, surreal mindscapes—including a solo exhibition at HOME Manchester in 2021—his current practice has evolved into an intimate exploration of self-representation. Through contemporary figurative self-portraits grounded in Jungian theory, Kochanowski examines the tension between the inner self and the external "persona," questioning how shame and self-criticism shape our reflections, and investigating whether we can meet our own image with greater compassion. AWARDS - Winner, HOME: Granada Foundation Gallery Exhibition Award, 2020 - Shortlisted, Greater Manchester Art Prize, 2019 - Shortlisted, Air Open Prize, 2018 - Winner, Ken Bellany Prize, 2013 - Shortlisted, neo:artprize, 2013 RESIDENCIES - 2015 – 2016 Fountain Street Artists' Residency, Floating Island Gallery Ltd, Manchester - 2014 U R Not Invited Residency & Exhibition, Kosmonaut, Manchester - 2012 Summer Artist's Residency, Cornaro Institute, Larnaca, Cyprus STUDIO HISTORY - 2023 – Present Rogue Artists Studios, Manchester - 2018 – 2023 Wellington Studios, Manchester - 2013 – 2018 Various professional studio groups (Artwork Atelier, Grumpy Studios, CDM)