Lisboa | Agnieszka Kicińska

Artist

Agnieszka Kicińska

ABOUT EXHIBITION

Thirteen paintings by Agnieszka Kicińska from the series “Lisboa” begins with a red bridge “Ponte 25 de April” and a monument of geographical discoveries, and ends with a painting with a 12-kilometer bridge im. Vasco da Gamy. The whole cycle is devoted to Expo’98, while the canvas was created in 2003 and 2004 as a kind of travel diary.

The admiration of Lisbon, contemporary architecture of Expo – its clean, simple shapes, strong, contrasting color used is the theme of this exhibition. As the artist who previously painted Paris and Berlin says, “I need challenges, glass buildings and weird steel constructions seem to me more puzzling, less obvious. Subconsciously I show elements that fascinate me on the one hand and repel me on the other. I like grinding, both in the act of creation and in the final effect of my work. In all this there is still an element of fun … “.

Most people who visit Portugal are associated with the district of Alfama, with mysterious corners, the view of underwear hanging in the windows of houses, unique churches and viewpoints. Contrary to the artist’s earlier declarations that she lives in the modern world and modern aesthetics is the closest to her – one of the paintings shows just such a romantic face of the city. However, looking at the whole exhibition, we can see that Kicinska is fascinated by the simple, geometric form, she is noting her interest in abstraction, the trend of constructivism. Reduction of elements on the canvas, bringing reality to a patch, lines, almost abstract shape, and at the same time the desire to avoid the impression of coolness, excessive objectivity or aggressiveness are the problems of her creativity. Agnieszka Kicińska’s paintings are also an attempt to show, familiarize modern architecture, and prove how painterly it is.

The exhibition can be viewed in the nova gallery until July 9.

Jolanta Gumula
www.artinfo.pl

The paintings of Agnieszka Kicińska are exhibited in Galeria Nova. Her painting is clean, clear, “concrete” and strong. This could be characterized briefly. It makes a good impression.

Thirteen canvases made in 2003 and 2004 belong to the “Lisboa” series devoted to Expo’98. However, Agnieszka is delighted with the architecture of Expo – its clean, simple shapes, strong, contrasting color, but you can see at once that it is also delighted with Lisbon itself. Actually, all her faces. The red bridge “Ponte 25 de April”, a monument to geographical discoveries, a 12-kilometer bridge them. Vasco da Gama, hanging laundry in the windows of old tenement houses – in a word – probably everyone.

Kicinska does not hide that Lisbon is a special place for her. Relatively often she goes there, the atmosphere there, the people, the specificity of the city. Although he declares that he lives in the modern world and modern aesthetics is the closest to him, the emotional attitude towards the more “corner” of Portugal can be seen in her paintings as if in hand. They are a kind of painterly diary of places.

Agnieszka’s relationship with modernity is betrayed by the simplicity of the composition and the geometric form. He claims that glass buildings and bizarre steel constructions are more puzzling and less obvious. Subconsciously shows the elements that fascinate her and at the same time repel. You can also see her interest in abstraction, constructivism. Reduces elements on the canvas, brings reality to a stain, a line. However, this apparent coolness is accompanied by a strong, “southern” color. The contrast of “live” color with the saving of composition and solid looks interesting.

The artist has been painting the city before. She portrayed Paris and Berlin in a similar way. Her program is, as she claims, the lack of a program, and the proverbial honey for the heart of the situation, when the Portuguese or people who know Lisbon recognize specific places and buildings in her paintings. That’s what it was about.