Still Life with Cup and Lemons Print

I mostly paint still life. In these paintings mostly dominate humble, common, sometimes heavily worn–out things. I present plain, everyday and simple objects – glass bottles, faience plates, tin spoons, porcelain bowls… etc. I use raw form, cleaned of all ornamentation and embellishments, characterized by analytical observation. Portrayed simplicity demonstrates the continuous quest for perfection. Still life is like a theatrical performance – presentation of the dishes and cutlery, subtly played on a large tabletop. I group them, then again, I set them wide apart, like the characters on the stage. To the usual muted narrative composition of realistic elements, I suddenly introduce stronger accent. This is usually the mysterious object, painted as completely flat color patch. This kind of treatment is both an element of surprise, and which additionally enhances the composition. Poverty of items is accompanied by asceticism in the application of color. I use a limited palette of white, gray, ocher and black. The color remains refined and ascetic, it serves to illustrate space and illusion. However, the one selected tone conceals a whole range of shades, always with a uniform intensity to give images an expression of peace and tranquility inducing a prolonged contemplation. In my search I deliberately select its predecessors in the history of art. It is easy to identify them because there are not many. Sources of inspiration are primarily Giorgio Morandi (1890–1964), Janusz Kaczmarski (1931–2009) and Henk Helmantel (1945). For me personally, the resulting image is a kind of life form that develops slowly, gradually, exists, although its life is solely dependent on its creator. The artist makes the canvas to come alive, becomes full, takes a certain color and shape. In my paintings, I tried to breathe as much life as possible, bring them to my chosen form of what is often a long process. Personally, I spend a lot of time to be with my paintings, I have the pleasure that I live with them and work with them. For me they are normal components of everyday life, everyday objects, without which I would not be able to function normally. Artistic work for me is extremely important, that from the very beginning, from the first marked line on the canvas, I build a picture by myself, without help, piece by piece, from the smallest detail. To my work I approach heavily emotionally and I give huge affection to each my own paintings.