Alicja
My exhibition explores my vision of the world we live in, representing landscapes and cityscapes showing the interaction of the sky and urban architecture. I really enjoy walking around the city I live in, Paris, and other cities I visit with a camera and taking pictures of things that inspire me, capturing the beauty of the world that surrounds me, therefore all of my pieces are inspired by my own photographs. My artworks are characterized by the use of soft tones and colors, creating a delicate effect with muted lighting and the frequent use of the color blue. This soft calming atmosphere can be seen on the watercolor pieces: Skyscrapers series and Montmartre, as well as on the photography series. Throughout the body of work there is a recurring motif of the sky, as beautiful clouds and sunsets give me inspiration and evoke a feeling of calmness. They are shown on the acrylic paintings Lamp post, Lighthouse, Sunset street and Street and the sky, as well as on the Seaside photography series.
The first artwork I created for this exhibition is City in Motion, a mixed media drawing inspired by photos I took around Paris. Creating this piece directed me towards the theme of cityscapes and use of my own photography. The key piece of my exhibition is the Lamp Post painting in which I focused on details of the urban architecture and its interaction with the sky, which became a recurring motif of my future pieces.
In my artworks I have used a variety of techniques, the most significant being photography, which was an inspiration for all of my pieces. In my paintings I experimented with different materials, using acrylic paint on canvas, paper and wood on Street and the sky where I tried layering two wooden panels. However the painting technique that appealed to me the most was watercolor thanks to its sensitivity which can be seen on my Montmartre and Skyscrapers pieces. The use of different materials, formats and sizes creates a more complex and diverse experience for the audience, allowing them to explore the beauty of our surroundings through different mediums.
The artists who inspired my work the most are Edward Hopper and Charles Sheeler. I was influenced by their figurative approach to cityscapes, using simplified geometric shapes, which can be seen in my artworks focused on architecture. My pieces Montmartre and Skyscrapers and my photography series City reflections were inspired by Sheeler’s simplified abstract urban landscapes. I was influenced by Hopper’s landscapes, particularly for the Lighthouse painting and the representation of solitude. A similar motif can be seen in my exhibition as the artworks represent my surroundings without any human figures, which creates the feeling of calmness and peace, and allows the viewer to fully focus on the beauty of the world around them.
My work is exhibited on a large, ten meterslong wall. This linear space suggests the viewer to look at the exhibition from left to right. I decided not to present the work in chronological or thematic order, but instead balance the use of color, starting with more colorful pieces on the left and the monochromatic grayish pieces on the right, ending with a colorful accent of the Sunset Street piece. Varying techniques and formats makes the exhibition more complex and diverse, keeping the viewer’s attention as the pieces are not monotone.
While looking at my exhibition I want the audience to contemplate the beauty of the world around them. My work does not have a particular political message, the purpose is solely to show the beauty of cityscapes, landscapes and the variety of colors in the sky. Looking at my artworks, I want the audience to see the details which they normally do not notice in their surroundings, like reflections and shadows, as the ones shown in City reflections and Seaside photography series. My artwork intends to show the beauty of the seemingly ordinary cityscapes and evoke the feeling of peace, calmness and admiration for our surroundings.
City in motion (September 2020)
Mixed media on paper
28x70cm
City in motion is a concertina piece on which I wanted to represent the area around me. In this piece I wanted to show the movement in the city centre. I took photographs of different means of transport and used them as a reference for my drawings. To make the artwork more dynamic I added pieces of collage and splashes of ink on the surface of the paper. This piece was influenced by the artwork Cambridge Station by Karen Stamper. Both pieces are quite dynamic, have a similar colour scheme and show movement.
Skyscrapers (March 2022)
Watercolour on paper
21x30cm each
The watercolour series Skyscrapers is inspired by my own photographs of modern architecture. It combines the simple geometric shapes with a soft effect of watercolours. The simplified abstract shapes of the buildings are inspired by cubist cityscapes. The use of watercolour and a blue colour scheme with additions of orange and green creates a soft, calm, dreamlike effect.
Bike wheel (December 2020)
Ceramics, oxides and glaze
38x13x15cm
My ceramic piece Bike Wheel was inspired by my photograph and my Bicycle chalk and charcoal drawing. I focused on the details of a bike wheel and I wanted to create a dynamic piece cutting through space. I was inspired by Barbara Hepworth’s Wave and Naum Gabo’s Linear Construction no2. Both those abstract decorative pieces are hollow, creating volume independently of mass. I was inspired by their use of strings and wires.
Lamp post (December 2020)
Acrylic paint on canvas
24x30cm
Lamp post is a micro painting representing a sunset in Paris, based on a photograph I took. The purpose of this piece was to focus on details of the city and show the beauty of my surroundings. The painting is precise and realistic although with the use of more vibrant colours. One of my inspirations was John Constable’s cloud study paintings.
Montmartre (March 2021)
Watercolour on paper
34x60cm
Montmartre is inspired by the architecture of Paris, based on a photograph I took in Montmartre. The blue monochrome colour scheme and low contrast create a sensitive almost dreamlike effect. Bright yellow accents on the road evoke curiosity of where the road is going and encourage exploring our surroundings. The artwork is inspired by Sheeler’s Skyscrapers and Hopper’s paintings of cityscapes with simplified geometric shapes.
Street and the sky (June 2021)
Acrylic on wood
106x62cm
Street and the sky is inspired by a photograph I took in Laon, France. I liked the colours and perspective on the picture and I wanted to represent the atmosphere of a small French town in the evening: calm, quiet and picturesque. I decided to use two wooden boards to make my piece 3 dimensional to create more depth. The shapes of buildings are simplified so the viewer can focus on the beauty of the sky as personally, I like observing the clouds with the changing lighting at different times of the day.
Sunset street (April 2021)
Acrylic on paper
49x72cm
Sunset street is based on the photograph I took of the view from my window. I was fascinated by the colours of the sky and shapes of the clouds contrasting with the dark, simple silhouettes of the buildings. On this painting I tested a number of different acrylic paint techniques, for example using dry brush. I was working fast with the use of quick brush strokes to represent the dynamic shape of the clouds
Lighthouse (October 2021)
Acrylic on canvas, digital photography
120x158 cm
The big scale Lighthouse painting, based on my own photo taken in Deauville, France, shows a calm sea landscape with a lighthouse in the centre. There are photographs incorporated in the piece which creates a nostalgic feel. The use of flat surfaces of colour is inspired by Edward Hopper’s paintings, who often depicted lighthouses in his artworks to show solitude and isolation. The solitude of the Lighthouse painting creates a calm, nostalgic feeling.
Seaside (November 2021)
Analog photography
42x59cm each
Seaside is a series of non-edited photographs taken on an analog camera using double exposure. The photographs show the beauty of a calm seaside landscape at sunset. The use of double exposure allows to layer two images in an uncontrolled spontaneous way by exposing the same film multiple times, which allows to truly capture the moment.
City reflections (January 2022)
Analog photography
30x42cm each
City reflections is a series of analog photography representing the urban landscape. The photographs capture simple geometric shapes of the buildings and their distorted reflections. The double exposure pictures layer and combine together different elements of the cityscape. This was inspired by Charles Sheeler’s photographs of the city.
