Find Yourself in Contemporary Art | Art in House

Julia Maciejewska, 25 April 2024

The art world is expanding, and organizing exhibitions is no longer reserved only for renowned galleries with years of tradition. Everywhere in Warsaw, new exhibition spaces are opening, often niche places bathed in a unique atmosphere. At the Art in House auction house, artists have the opportunity to showcase their works in solo exhibitions, as well as in pre-auction exhibitions, which we organize very often, as often as every week. The biggest field for creators to show their skills is the New Art Auctions, where they can present their works to the world in their purest form, because the themes of these events are very broad, basically limitless, except for the imagination of the authors. Such an opportunity will be the 87th New Art Auction, which will take place on May 17th.

Katarzyna Kołtan, Beatrice, 2023

Maria Gruza, Between, 2024

Adam Wątor, Hologram 3, 2024

Kamila Kowalik, Angel of Art, 2024

Tomasz Sętowski, Land of Inventions, 2018

 

The luminous geniuses of contemporary art

Artists are masters of conveying thoughts without using words. Their medium is brushes and paints or chisels, which they wield exceptionally. One cannot disagree that the greatest mastery lies in depicting light. The sunrise, the flame of a candle, the glow of the moon, all this and much more can be found in the paintings of our artists. Light shapes reality, sculpting it in the plane, transforming it into a form and bringing out its intricate details. Notice how Roch Urbaniak captured this in his extraordinary work, where a mystical and sublime atmosphere reigns. From this painting, you can hear the silence: by an age-old temple carved into the rock, in the middle of the desert, a group of people lit a fire at night. Who are these people? Perhaps each of them came from a different direction, felt safe near the temple, yet did not dare to enter inside, but it was the light and warmth of the fire that brought them together. The mysterious and subdued atmosphere does not inspire fear, but rather elevation. The artist chose to frame the work in this way for a reason, so that the main scene takes place so low; the most important seems to be the glow of the fire, which occupies the upper part of the canvas, and thanks to which we can perceive every detail in the composition.

Roch Urbaniak, Al Azif, 2016

 

We will notice the sun partially concealed behind the surface of the sea in Paulina Zalewska‘s realistic yet somewhat dreamlike landscape. It’s impossible to say unequivocally whether it’s sunrise or sunset. We can only observe the power of this light, as it’s thanks to it that the sky has taken on such lilac-blue shades, and the water has a turquoise hue. Looking at this scene, we realize that the sun attracts everything, essentially creating a centric composition. The figures of children in the foreground, as well as the person standing on the rocky structure above the water, are frozen in gazing at the sun. The figure in the boat gives the impression as if they were trying to steer the boat towards that partially hidden glow. Similarly, the paragliders are directed towards the horizon. The strong colors, especially the shades of red used by the artist, make the whole painting resemble a magical childhood memory.

Paulina Zalewska, Coast of Apulla II, 2024

 

One cannot pass by Klaudia Krzosek‘s paintings indifferently. The artist is known for her abstract compositions, in which she weaves mysterious flashes of multicolored light, and it must be admitted – she paints sunsets masterfully. This time, at the auction, there will be a work by the artist that at first glance gives the impression of a sunset over the sea. It’s an almost impressionistic depiction. However, upon closer inspection, we notice hundreds of intersecting, undulating lines at various angles, which only imitate the structure of the sea. The setting sun is this enigmatic burst of light that Krzosek lovingly places in her compositions. This abstract painting, so close to realism, evokes the moment of looking at the sun through squinted eyes.

Klaudia Krzosek, Untitled from the Break on through series, 2023

 

Portrait – Mirror of the Soul

Pay attention to the portraits that will appear at the auction. Each of them is unique and has been depicted in a different convention, so I will only refer to a few. Who said a portrait cannot be geometricized? Paulina Taranek and Grzegorz Klimek have opted for such a presentation. The artist minimized the depiction of a woman, using not only simplified forms but also a narrow color range. In such a developed portrait, static and dynamics perfectly harmonize. Klimek approached the female image somewhat differently: the shape of the head emerges from striped fragments; eyes and mouth, which we see in full glory, are attached to this created latticed form. These elements somehow unite the whole figure, which looks as if it were about to disintegrate at any moment.

Paulina Taranek, Geiko Dance, 2023

Grzegorz Klimek, Spes, 2023

 

Borys Fiodorowicz‘s humor will never cease to amuse us. This time, the artist depicted a crocheting Mother of God, and the wordplay in the title will show us the double meaning of the portrait. Although the author used basically only three colors, one cannot take their eyes off the painting. The meticulousness of the depiction is the dominant value of the work. Fiodorowicz accurately reflected the surprisingly difficult and time-consuming knitting work of the Mother of God, resulting in her attire. As always, the artist flawlessly oscillates on the border between the sacred and the profane, showing us a completely new, deep, and multi-dimensional world. “The Lace of the Mother of God” is a great example of Borys Fiodorowicz’s ingenious and extraordinary style.

Borys Fiodorowicz, Chaplet of Our Lady, 2024

 

The next two portraits I want to mention share a warm color palette and depict cats. I’m talking about Paweł Grabowski‘s and Maciej Cieśla‘s works, which evoke calmness and pleasant feelings, although both also contain a certain twist. Grabowski’s painting is quite minimalist, leaving a significant impression on the viewer. The artist predominantly used yellows and oranges, which are balanced by the blue-gray of the sweater worn by the portrayed girl and the black of her skirt. At first glance, the painting depicts a calmly sitting, almost bored girl with cats on her lap. However, these cats are actually playing or fighting with each other, adding dynamism to this part of the composition. Upon closer inspection, we notice a sparrow perched on the girl’s hand, observing its natural enemies. Does the painting hide the proverb “When two fight, the third one benefits”? Grabowski seems to leave the interpretation of the work to the viewer.

On the other hand, “Anka Listens to Jazz” by Maciej Cieśla presents a similar story but in a completely different way. Cieśla paints in a completely different style than Grabowski, sometimes applying paint impasto, not smoothing out the color spots, which creates a sense of movement, agitation. Characteristic of the artist is adding vivid orange contours, indicating what is truly important. The titular Anka is indeed listening, as indicated by the headphones worn on her ears; only the title informs us about the jazz. The protagonist is exceptionally absorbed, closing her eyes, lowering her head. She seems unaware of the cat walking on the railing and the devil playing the pipes. It must be a really great jazz piece.

Paweł Grabowski, Untitled, 2024

Maciej Cieśla, Anka Listens to Jazz, 2024

 

Abstract explorations in painting

We also encourage you to explore abstractions in our catalog. Krzysztof Kopeć creates extraordinary, serene, and fluid compositions that may somewhat resemble the world seen from underwater. This time, the artist will present us with a large-format painting that you should see in person, as only then will you notice the texture of the canvas, playing one of the main roles. With Izabela Kozłowska, we will experience a play with op-art and constructive abstraction. The painter brilliantly balanced the whole range of colors with deep black, so neither the vibrant nor the muted part of the canvas overwhelms the viewer. Paweł Bienkiewicz‘s and Hanna Rozpara‘s paintings represent heliocentric compositions, arranged in the pattern of a rosette, yet they leave completely different impressions. Bienkiewicz opted to depict something resembling a purple draped silk fabric in the shape of a boutonniere, while Rozpara filled the canvas more densely, in a way more reminiscent of the influence of solar energy, as indicated by the title of the work.

Izabela Kozłowska, Complement, 2024

Krzysztof Kopeć, Thinking Circle, 2024

Paweł Bienkiewicz, Supernova 02, 2023

Hanna Rozpara, Solar Energy, 2024

 

A sip of tranquility, or minimalism in art

If you’re in need of some peace and quiet, take care of your immediate surroundings and minimize the amount of stimuli. This also applies to what hangs on your walls. Nothing will help you breathe easier like artworks where large areas are occupied by smooth planes of a single color. Those I want to mention depict a holiday rest by the water, representing the ubiquitous, blissful relaxation. Aleksandr Yasin‘s painting will tangibly show you what true relaxation is. The calming expanse of blue water, lazily drifting with a swim float, not only symbolizes vacations and tranquility but also spending precious time with oneself. What can really relax and soothe us if not a valuable moment for ourselves? Another painting in a minimalist style is “Summer House” by Anna Piotrowiak. It’s a kind of geometric minimalism, as all the shapes forming the pool, the strip of greenery, a fragment of the house, and even the shadow are rectangles; if it weren’t for the figure of a woman, the work could take on a completely different interpretation. The soothing shades of blue and neutral gray represent deep relaxation not only for the depicted figure but also for us, the viewers. The last of the minimalist artists is Łukasz Lepiorz. This artist certainly draws on David Hockney’s brilliant and simple spatial solutions, although he has opted for total statics. We won’t see the characteristic splash and splatter of water frozen in time here, but rather a kind of suspension, a positive stagnation.

Aleksandr Yasin, The Water is Clear XII, 2024

Anna Piotrowiak, Summer House, 2024

Łukasz Lepiorz, Pool V from The Rest Series, 2024

 

Take a look through the artworks featured in the catalog of the 87th Auction of New Art, as there are so many works that it’s impossible to mention them all. Come and see the pre-auction exhibition, which will be available starting from May 13th at our headquarters at Aleje Jerozolimskie 107. You are warmly invited!