Abstract inspired by Nature

Exhibition ,,Abstract inspired by Nature", Tymczasowa Art Gallery, Warsaw, Poland, 2018.

,,Abstract inspired by Nature”, February/March 2018, Tymczasowa Art Gallery.

Artists: Magda Fokt / Joanna Pongowska

Curator: Joanna Pongowska

Text & photo credits: Joanna Pongowska

Tymczasowa Art Gallery inaugurated it’s activity with the opening of the exhibition of paintings of two Warsaw artists: Magda Fokt and Joanna Pongowska, titled ,,Abstract inspired by Nature”. With that event Tymczasowa inititiated cycled thematic exhibitions, presenting visual artists, active in different art fields, representing different specialities and directions of development within specified theme of the exhibition. Tymczasowa Art Gallery was based in the innovative office park Business Garden Warszawa in Poland, at Żwirki i Wigury 16.

Abstract art is admired and collected by many art collectors all over the world. Visual language of abstraction is universal and it intuitively reaches viewers by purely creative impact – specific for each artist, such as color code, gesture, texture, expression, composition and/or with emotional or intellectual message. The creation and perception of abstract art is a very individual and specific process. Abstract art does not have to be only a spontanious process of usage of wide selection of creative tools, it very often is a result of a long process of artists creative transformation from figurative art, to nonobjective art. Many artists intuitively examine and interpretate pieces of the real world into the abstract form, touching important for them subjects, expressing feelings or visualising events, that had significant impact on them, strong enough to pass their visions to the audience, as in Magda Fokt and Joanna Pongowska cases.

Exhibition presents art of two artists who are inspired by omnipresent in our lifes – although less and less observed in the agressive civilisation process – elements of the nature and it’s eternal processes of birth, life and passing, and our place in it. Each of the artist intuitively examines and interpretates pieces of the real world into the abstract form, creating personal, characteristic visual language, keeping and analizing, mirroring in the surface of the water, surrounded with shaped by external energies stones, or observing complicated, sustainable construction of internal organic structures, formed by a constant processes of internal forces of nature.

Both artists are shaping their art forms using specific, differentiated creative tools, examining common areas of interest – nature – while each is at the different stage of a creative journey and represents personal vision, selectively assorting and interpreting certain elements of the nature. From the first sight we can observe obvious differences while looking at their art – in the matter of creative context and selection of the themes, that inspired artists. That confrontation allows us to look at two different visions of artistic interpretations, which somehow are complementing each other. Color code in Magda Fokt paintings and objects is much more monochromatic and faded, although we can spot some energetic accents of colors or strong graphic forms. Collection of paintings and art objects presented by Magda Fokt at the exhibition summarize her artistic journey throughout the years. They are forming few series – Stones, Anima Mundi or Water. Paintings titles are: Waves, Black Stones, Shoal or Flow. Most of them are abstract landscapes. Paintings presented by Joanna Pongowska are forming series titled Organique (2017), which are a continuation of artists interest in dynamic creations of nature, but more in details, close up, presenting inner structures or graphic rhythms. Color code of those paintings is saturated, vibrant and energetic and its interpreting dynamic powers of nature, that are shaping all forms of greenery and wildlife.

In both cases we are looking at art objects interpreting the nature, but we intuitively sense that it has a deeper meaning – simply because we are an integral part of the nature and as long as we are respecting nature, we can coexist at our planet in a long perspective. Unfortunately if our interference into the nature is disrespectful, we risk that wrong actions will bring destructive outcome for human beings and our planet. That process is not happening immediately, but with the same paste as in the laborious processes of shaping stones or pieces of glass by the waves and wind, eternal regeneration of greenery and wildlife in the seasonal processes or incremental throw of the wreckage of our civilisation at the coasts of the world.

Joanna Pongowska, Curator, Tymczasowa Art Gallery