tab ur ettier 2021

Curator: Here we have Lech Jankowski's "tab ur ettier," created in 2021, using a mixed-media approach incorporating both oil and acrylic paints, with the application of impasto. Editor: My initial reaction is of an almost desolate interior. The colour palette is muted, creating a sense of emptiness. I’m immediately drawn to the textural surface and what seems to be deliberate roughness. Curator: Considering its socio-political landscape, post-Soviet identity is a likely, underlying theme in Jankowski’s abstract compositions. "tab ur ettier" may be understood within narratives exploring individual struggle and displacement, issues amplified within the context of broader historical changes and echoing sentiment from matter painting and Modernism Editor: Absolutely. Looking more closely, the geometric form provides a framework that structures the composition, creating implied depth within a relatively shallow plane. The way the colours are modulated creates an impression of light. Are we looking at a modernist construction, almost reduced to its bare bones? Curator: It certainly speaks to that interpretation, particularly if viewed as a metaphorical interior. Consider that for those marginalized, physical space—and the notion of a "home"—becomes highly charged, embodying security, identity, and belonging…or the lack thereof. I also want to add that the paint, the colors used are almost bleak, very depressive almost. Editor: Indeed. And how do the roughly applied brushstrokes contribute to the overall mood? There’s very little blending, if any. The drips running downward add a sense of urgency. Curator: Urgency, but also a sense of entropy. These stylistic choices reinforce themes around disintegration that is central to abstract-expressionism. The painting reads almost as an allegory, a post-Communist condition expressed with emotion in our modern landscape. Editor: Thank you, I find this insightful. Curator: I completely agree. A profound, historical work!