Jarosław Jaśnikowski – interview with the painter

Michał Cylwik: Good morning, Mr. Jarosław, I am very pleased to present the profile of one of the most recognizable surrealist artists. The paintings created by Jarosław Jaśnikowski are known and appreciated all over the world. Of course, I could ask, how do you do it? but it seems too trivial to me…

I know that achieving such perfection was not easy.

That’s why I would like to know what painting means to you?

Hello and welcome.

Painting is still an incredible adventure for me, it is the meaning of my life, a mirror revealing the secret corners of my soul, a gateway to another world. But it is also my source of quite decent income.

Every artist, at the beginning of his career, takes his cue from someone who made a huge impression on him. What influence did Dalí’s work have on you?

At the beginning of my adventure with painting, in the 1990s, Dalí’s work and the figure itself had quite an influence on me, but over time it began to fade away in favor of the fascination with the works of Wojtek Siudmak, then Zdzisław Beksiński, and then several other artists changed my mind. concept of art. Currently, I consider Salvador Dalí’s work to be rich in terms of ingenuity and imagination, but poor in terms of painting technique, and, above all, his problem is large errors in the combination of colors. Well, Dali was one of the first and paved the way for world surrealism… and praise him for that.

For many people, art is an escape to another, magical side. It not only soothes the eyes, but also the senses. What is the difference between the surreal world and the real one?

For example, you can play with the laws of physics a bit and bend them this way or that. You can have some fun with Mikro Pana Boga and create some interesting realities, but we must also take into account that creatures from those worlds, when they look at us through a window, may also be a bit surprised. The law of disbelief and fascination works both ways.

Is painting the only form of art that you develop in yourself?

I think that every artist is open to different forms of self-expression. I used to write some poetry, I wrote a short story, a rather poor one, although I am tempted to return to writing someday. Astronomy, or quantum physics, is also a beautiful type of art in which you can become endlessly forgetful.

Fame often sounds ambiguous and many creators do not accept it. What does an artist feel whose paintings are exhibited in prestigious galleries?

Painters have the comfort that it is usually our paintings that are famous, not ourselves. So teenagers don’t squeal after us and take silent photos, paparazzi don’t send squadrons of drones at us, poodles and other tabloids stay away from us. We can go to the bakery for rolls without embarrassment, pick our noses at a red light and live a nice life.

Painting can be a way of life. Is it possible to combine business with art?

In our times, it’s even necessary. Many young artists with heads full of dreams, after graduating from universities, are thrown into the gears of the ruthless market and die. They die because they did not receive proper education, because no one at universities prepared them for it. Regardless of whether we pay taxes or not, every artist is like an independent entrepreneur and no one gives us papu-papu for free. At the beginning it is a fierce fight for survival and everyone will get hit on the head, without exception. Everyone will pay a price, different, sometimes terrible, but those who persevere… can have a nice life.

Please do not treat this as a question about competition:)) Which contemporary painters does Jarosław Jaśnikowski consider outstanding?

At a certain stage, when a person feels his own value and is confident in what he does, there is no competition anymore… there are only friendships. There are many outstanding artists in Polish surrealism and I won’t lie when I say that we are the world elite. Perhaps this is due to some of our national characteristics, perhaps this utopian romanticism, when we throw ourselves with brushes in our hands, in a fanatical frenzy, at our canvases, at our worlds, without a trace of timidity. I don’t know… maybe that’s it. The elite of Polish, broadly understood surrealism includes at least twenty, maybe thirty names, and practically everyone has their own recognizable style. That’s why we complement each other so well.

Many of today’s creators use digitization technology. This is how very creative and original works are created. What Jarosław Jaśnikowski Are you thinking about combining computer processing with a classic easel?

I have absolutely nothing against it, if what is created as a result of this symbiosis meets the principles of good work, i.e. has well-combined colors and correct composition, and conveys interesting content, then why not.

Here’s a little note for those surprised – Yes! painting is based on certain principles, which is sometimes not taught at the Academies of Fine Arts, boasting the sick principle of “Art for art’s sake”.

Magical realism is the main trend in your life, would Jarosław Jaśnikowski like to live in such a world?

If I wanted to, I would probably live there already 😉 But I think I prefer to be a tourist, a Storyteller. I visit Alternative Worlds and talk about what I saw there. This is enough for me, but sweet peas don’t grow there like they do here and the strawberries tend to be spoiled.

Thank you very much for the interview and your time for LuxuryBlog.pl, I will be watching your work closely.

Thank you tooSave