GŁÓWNA WYGRANA 1965

Kazimierz Mikulski made this painting, GŁÓWNA WYGRANA, using flat blocks of color and hard edges, which gives it a graphic quality, almost like collage. This feels appropriate given the strange, dreamlike scene being depicted. I am really drawn to the texture of this piece, the way Mikulski applied the paint so smoothly, especially in those large areas of blue and black. It's almost like looking at a wall. The flatness of the paint really makes the objects within the composition stand out, the weird man in the hat, the circles and squares. Look at how the artist uses a limited palette of yellows, reds, and blacks. These colors create a dynamic, yet oddly harmonious composition. The colors give a certain tension and energy to the image. The woman in the centre looks like she is about to step out of the canvas! I see a dialogue happening between Mikulski and early surrealists like de Chirico. Both explore a similar sense of psychological tension and uncanny imagery. What exactly is the 'main prize' of the title? Is it the woman, the horse or maybe something more illusive? In the end, it’s these ambiguities that make art so compelling.