Proposal Abstract

In my graphic artwork I pay much attention to a search for different ways to obtain grainy textures – both in the technique of aquatint dusted by hand, in the technique of salt aquatint, roulette or sand aquatint. Each of these techniques allows me to obtain a varied and rich structure built of points—white and black. The result of my experiments is a combination of all these techniques on one plate. This plate was made in the newly developed technique of ferrotint and etching on iron—following the inspiration of Prof Jose Manuel Guillen Ramon, I conducted a research together with my colleagues at the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź which led to experimental works in the new technique. Prints from iron plates (ferrotints) show deeper etching and a more diversified structure of the grain deeply etched without using any resin.

Light and shade are the main themes of my prints. The predominant inspiration is urban architecture. For me, the city is joyful, full of light, movement and energy. In my graphics, I transform this impression into a dynamic space which is ordered by light. Although in my images I use selected perspectives to build the construction of space, it is accompanied by shade and light. Once it is the quiet dispersed light of the day, another time they are almost baroque, dramatic shade-and-light contrasts, or nocturne interiors saturated with black. My works show the contrast between majestic fragments of architecture, lasting still in space, and the element of movement suggested by circulation areas, roads, passages, crossed suspension bridges. I am interested in the concept of simultaneity of states of the soul described by Boccioni and the role of recollection in the image creation.

The presented collection consists of graphics in intaglio techniques, mainly different variations of aquatints on different metals (zinc, iron, aluminium) combined with profound etching. I like to work in different image sizes—my prints are mostly 100×70 cm and 30×120, but I also work in smaller scales—35 x 50cm, 10 x 15cm and 7 x 10cm.