Edward DWURNIK (1943 - 2018), Beechwood; 2018

Acrylic, canvas; 40 x 30 cm
Signed, dated, l. d.: 2018/ E. DWURNIK; signed, dated, described on the reverse: 2018 / E. DWURNIK/"BUCZYNA" / NO: XXIII - 1628/ - 7806
stamped: FABRYKA DWURNIKA and WORKER OF ART.
The work is accompanied by an author's certificate.
Provenance:
- private collection Warsaw
- purchase from the artist

One of the most famous and distinctive contemporary Polish painters. Studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, graduating in the studio of Eugeniusz Eibisch. Fascinated by Nikifor's works, seen for the first time in 1965, inspired the then third-year student to draw the first works in the series "Hitchhiking Journeys." In 1972-1978 was created the series "Sportsmen", in which were portrayed, we should add - bitingly, typical figures of the 1970s. In parallel, from 1975 was created the series "Workers", which culminated in the period of "Solidarity" 1980-1981. For the works of this series Dwurnik received in 1981 the Art Criticism Award of Cyprian Kamil Norwid. Cyprian Kamil Norwid Art Criticism Award, while for his paintings from the series "Warsaw" (1981), prophetically foreshadowing martial law - he received the Cultural Award of the "Solidarity" underground in 1983. In the 1980s Dwurnik's painting took on expressive and dramatic expression. Both the ideological and purely painterly qualities of these works brought the artist great recognition, both at home and abroad. The artist has had many solo exhibitions in Poland and abroad, and has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions and festivals, including: the 10th Biennale of Contemporary Art, Menton 1974, Documenta 7, Kassel 1982, the 5th Biennale, Sydney 1985, the 19th Art Biennale, Sao Paulo 1987; the Olympics of Art, Seoul 1988. His works are in museum collections in Poland and around the world as well as in many private collections.

The works on display were assigned by Dwurnik to the Twenty-Third series, which was started in 1998 and continued by the artist until his death. There are saturated, deep colors and large planes of color. The balanced intensity of the colors, the expressiveness and the abbreviated nature of the representations together create an astonishing silence and stillness. It includes paintings of history, music, flowers, double basses as well as beech or pine trees.