Longing for the Classics – XVI Auction of Modern Classics

Julia Maciejewska, 22 May 2024

“Classics – works of art and literature from various historical periods recognized as excellent” (Polish Language Dictionary PWN)

What constitutes classics today? Is it something that remains deeply memorable and carries a message? Or, on the contrary, are they minimalist objects that detach from meanings and content, aiming to quiet the stimuli that reach us? Is one of the criteria determining whether an object is a classic its age? According to the definition, a work must be excellent. So, what is excellence?

Perhaps there isn’t a single answer to these questions. Surely, we should feel something more when looking at a classic, and we definitely feel a variety of emotions when viewing the works at the 16th Auction of Modern Classics, which will take place on May 24, 2024, at 7:30 PM. The catalog is filled with exquisite paintings and sculptures by outstanding artists, so we encourage you to visit the Olympic Center, where you can face these objects today. Perhaps one of the pieces will become a classic according to your taste.

Uniqueness in Contemporary Art

Every auction features unique, sometimes peculiar objects that I have grouped together here. Let’s start with the undeniably largest item, a 19th-century, hand-painted piano that impresses not only with its age but also with its craftsmanship. This instrument was produced by the famous German piano manufacturer C. Bechstein in 1872. Besides its inherently impressive appearance, the piano is adorned with paintings depicting birds, including ravens, magpies, owls, kingfishers, ducks, peacocks, and even a single snipe. In addition to these avian portraits, the instrument features trompe-l’œil architectural divisions, creating a sense of depth.

 

Let’s move on to another extraordinary work: Włodzimierz Pawlak’s “Diary 07III-21III.” This is an abstract and conceptual piece that, at first glance, doesn’t reveal anything particular. The canvas is covered in paint, which forms occasional thickened areas. We notice that despite the apparent chaos, all the lumps arrange themselves into horizontal stripes. Moreover, the artist meticulously recorded the passage of time across the entire surface of the painting, measured in weeks. Let’s take a closer look: some markings are vivid, pressing into the painted surface, while others are faint, nearly disappearing under the thickly applied paint. What can we interpret from such a work? Perhaps it suggests that some days we live through will be remembered very clearly, some will only be recalled, and others will completely fade from our memory, covered by events beyond our control.

 

At the 16th Auction of Modern Classics, we will present an unusual work by Janusz Lewandowski. These are three sketches drawn with a ballpoint pen, each framed with its own window in a specially designed passe-partout. Each sketch depicts a completely different scene, making their combination even more unique. The two upper drawings show a seated woman and a person walking through a field, while the lower sketch features a dragonfly against a landscape. What connects these three works is the inherent closeness to nature, though it is not immediately obvious due to the use of blue ink. To truly feel this connection, one must delve into studying the sketches, immersing oneself in each line Lewandowski drew, and observing all the shadows and highlights applied by the artist. This feeling will linger long after examining the sketches.

 

Portrait – The Reflection of the Viewer

Take a look at the auction catalog and pay attention to the portrait works. You’ll find the incomparable Leon Wyczółkowski and several of his pieces, including “Portrait of a Man in an Armchair”, which is an excellent psychological study of the subject. Another portrait by Wyczółkowski is a lithograph; the figure looks directly into our eyes, seemingly perceiving us.

Observe the quick sketch portrait by Henryk Berlewi; with energetic movements, the artist created an image of a young man, revealing much about the character of both the subject and the artist. Another male portrait is offered by Jan Kaczmarkiewicz. In this sketch, the artist focused on rendering the model’s body, only loosely indicating the remaining elements of the composition, giving the work a non fini effect that adds interest and mystery.

Finally, Zdzisław Kraśnik presents us with a watercolor portrait of a violinist. The painter infused the work with a touch of poetry, nostalgia, and melancholy.

Perhaps among us are lovers of abstraction. We have many offerings for you, both monochromatic and polychromatic. The artists behind works in shades of gray, black, and white include Włodzimierz Pawlak, Jerzy Panek, Andrzej Gieraga, and Ad de Keijzer. On the other hand, the artists who have painted multicolored abstractions are Eugeniusz Józefowski, Tadeusz Dominik, Piotr and Stanisław Młodożeńcy, Paweł Korab Kowalski, and Ryszard Gieryszewski.

Non-figurative explorations in art always evoke a range of emotions, as they reveal what is absent, what is unknown, unreal, and non-existent. The abstractions in our auction are so diverse that you are sure to find something among them that resonates with you.

 

We invite all those who yearn for classics in every sense of the word to the 16th Auction of Modern Classics. The paintings and sculptures we present drift between figurative art and abstraction, detail and minimalism, realism and surrealism. Visit the pre-auction exhibition at the Olympic Center (Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4) to see how many extraordinary treasures we have gathered for you. You’re welcome to join us!