Light Pompeian Animals 2017

Lech Jankowski made this painting, Light Pompeian Animals, with who knows what, but it's giving off major process vibes! I mean, just look at the surface – it’s all built up, crusty, and layered, kind of like memory itself. The colors are muted, earthy, like something dug up from the past. You can almost feel the grit and texture. There's this one tiny squiggle of white paint, a little gesture hovering near the right side of the frame. It's so small but feels really present; kind of cheeky and human. I’m reminded of Antoni Tàpies, who was making art from dust and dirt back in the day, but Jankowski’s got his own thing going. This piece feels like an ongoing conversation about what painting can do, how it can hold time and feeling, and maybe even a little bit of magic.