Dedicated 1971

Julian Stanczak made this abstract painting, Dedicated, with paint on perhaps canvas or paper. Look at the surface - how it's built from these fine vertical lines. He's pushing colour to its limit, using these lines to create a pulsating effect. The pinks and reds are so close, yet they vibrate against each other. It’s as if the whole thing is breathing. There’s a real sense of control, but also a willingness to let the colours do their thing. It reminds me of Bridget Riley, another artist obsessed with how colours interact and trick the eye. But where Riley goes for hard-edged geometry, Stanczak's got these soft, overlapping shapes that feel almost organic, like the inside of a flower. Ultimately, it’s not about what the painting represents, but about how it makes you feel, which is a pretty cool dedication, right?