"Ritual Vessel / HH-3" Sculpture

Raf Tarnawski was born in Wroclaw. His first passion was photography. At the age of 10 he took his first photos. Then he began to be interested in drawing and graphic design. He had his first solo exhibition of graphics (mainly self-portraits drawings) while still in high school.
In the late 1970s he moved to Lund, Sweden, where he graduated from a graphic design school. Over the next few years he worked in photography, graphic design, illustration and advertising, working as a Creativ Director in international advertising agencies. In the late 1980s, he had his first solo exhibition of his paintings in Eslov, Sweden.

In 2006, he began studying as a free student in the sculpture studio of Prof. P. Gawron at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Since then, he has presented his sculptural works in individual and group exhibitions in France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden and USA.

Artist Statement

I started to be interested in sculpture quite late in my life, when I was about 55 years old. Before that, I had been involved in photography, graphics and design, and I hadn’t paid much attention to sculpture. I suppose my interest was born out of the need to immortalize fleeting impressions and emotions. My childhood, spent in the dull grey world of communism, also made me want to live surrounded by aesthetics and harmony. Later in life, this was augmented by a desire to reign in the chaos that modernity imposes on man - both for myself and the viewers of my art.
From the beginning, my works have been inspired by the human body: its beauty, its expression and its diversity. I have been trying to capture those quickly passing moments during which we are able to get a glimpse of what lies under this thin corporeal shell and behold something for which we do not yet have words. Using various materials and techniques, I have searched for the best way to convey these moments. After all, art is a form of communication. I want others, when looking at my works, to also be able to lift up the veil of mystery and look under the polished surface of everyday life.
By creating, I want to be understood. And just as the roots of our culture are deeply embedded in ancient culture, my works often refer to classical concepts and patterns. The form may be classical, but I am constantly looking for new solutions and new materials that offer a wider range for expression, conveying ideas and engaging the viewer.