Red - Dates II 

Małgorzata Serwatka created the painting ‘Red – Dates II,’ using a vibrant red against a dark ground. The canvas is alive with lines, resembling pathways or perhaps strands of fate, each inscribed with dates. Born in Poland, Serwatka's work can be viewed through the lens of post-socialist identity, where the weight of history and memory is intensely felt. Red, a color often associated with communism, might here symbolize both the fervor and the pain of a collective past. The dates, inscrutable and personal, invite us to consider how individual lives intersect with historical timelines. Serwatka's painting avoids traditional representations, developing a complex narrative that exists between the personal and the political. She prompts us to reflect on how we, too, are marked by time, by history, and by our own emotional landscapes. As you stand before this painting, consider the dates that define your own life, the moments that have shaped your identity. What do you make of the way Serwatka intertwines personal histories with broader societal narratives?