Sylwia Gorak – “for me, absolute freedom and timelessness are what matter most in art”

Today, an in-depth interview with a rebellious, unconventional artist who has an incredible awareness of what contemporary painting truly is. is a remarkable individual, creating art of exceptional quality. Her works capture untamed nature, freedom, and the effortless movement of the brush! I invite you to read the article.

How would you describe your work?

It’s hard for me to define it. I graduated in performance and conceptual art, and that’s still my main focus (plus vocal studies). At the same time, painting and drawing are my core daily activities. I never really think about whether a given will be abstract, figurative, synesthetic, or painted using traditional Renaissance glazing techniques. These are just different methods I use to achieve the intended message. I often use existing techniques and styles like a DJ, and sometimes I create my own. It all depends on the specific concept. That’s why I don’t like labeling or limiting my work.

Is it a fascination with nature, or nature seen through a distorted lens?

The connection with nature is the most important relationship in every being’s life. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to realize this nowadays. I celebrate and feel this connection throughout my life, every single day. It is a deeply conscious and highly creative process. Most of my paintings stem from this profound bond with nature and are a manifestation of it.

What in your art breaks the conventions of painting?

Perhaps it is precisely this lack of strict rules, definitions, names, or classifications. In art, what matters most to me is absolute freedom and timelessness. I am not interested in fashions, trends, or current topics.

When did you first feel that painting would play a central role in your life?

Probably right after graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts. I could finally paint whatever and however I wanted, without corrections or assessments.

What is the best way to come up with surreal ideas?

Sleeping.

I work best with paints…..

with oils. Oil is my element; sometimes I marvel at this brilliant invention. Oil paints contain the entire visible world within them. They can depict reality better than photography, and they can also materialize other worlds, abstract ideas.

Do I love large or small formats?

Every

Your work often features both people and nature— which of these influences you more strongly?

Of course, nature and the outdoors.

Could you tell us about your international experiences with art and how they differ from the domestic market?

I lived in New York for several years. I also had an American scholarship in NY and San Francisco. In addition, I received Swiss and German scholarships. Exhibitions and presentations in London, Japan, China, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Finland, Mexico, Austria, Indonesia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, India. Participation in international art fairs in Vilnius, Canada, and Germany. Every art market is different; it depends on the country. Where people have more money, they simply buy a painting they like. In Poland, people often buy what they’ve read about in the newspaper or what a gallery has recommended. They’re afraid to choose on their own:)

What is your professional goal?

The goal is the process. The process of creation. Contemplation through painting.

In what kind of interiors would you like to see your art displayed?

My paintings complement any interior. They look stunning in contemporary and minimalist spaces, but also in historic settings. I’ve seen my work displayed in a neoclassical palace with Saxon Rococo elements and in an art deco hotel. In private homes from the 1980s and in old mansions. They also work beautifully in industrial and office interiors.

Is there a topic you would never take on?

In art, I don’t like political or sexual themes. I also dislike trivial subjects. Although I sometimes paint nudes, especially male ones, and always from real, live models

What do you write about in CLAM Magazine Paris?

CLAM Magazine Paris runs a series of interviews with artists and famous film actors (such as Isabelle Huppert, David Lynch) on specific topics. I have given several on subjects like “Happiness”—what it means to me, “Experience,” “Freshness,” and similar themes. I mostly wrote in the context of art and travel experiences. I also recommend several Polish artists each year for features in the magazine, as well as Polish collectors. There are plans for an entire issue dedicated to Polish art.

Is painting an escape into another world?

It’s not really about escape, because I don’t actually have anything to run from. The only exception is the ongoing environmental degradation, the cutting down of trees and forests. That certainly affects my work, and painting is often a way for me to cope with the stress that comes with it. Besides that, painting is more about marveling at the world, contemplating it, analyzing and synthesizing its phenomena.

The best time to create great art?

I paint only in natural daylight.

How to live in harmony with art and the gray reality?

Buy yourself a painting:)

Thank you for the inspiring and fascinating interview! I wish you the best of luck at the gallery and every success in your professional life.