In the reflection of an image – the works of Joanna Trzcińska

Abstract

The article focuses on the last decade of artistic experiences and activities of the pain­ter, graphic artist, and academic Joanna Trzcińska, affiliated with the W. Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. A formal and content analysis is carried out on the series of works: The Image, The Lulled and The Passions, as well as large-format self-portraits. Based on interviews with the artist, an analysis of her statements and publications to date, her views on the concept of the artist and the image are outlined. The process of creating the individual series and its influence on the final work is presented. In the creative process, Trzcińska allows for chance – in this case, randomness of what the matter she is working with entails. Independence and control over the creative process become an important aspect of her work. This independence may surprise the viewer, when juxtaposed with the large format and number of works produced. The human figure plays a dominant role in the works: observed, materialized and reacting with space. The artist's works, made using shuttering plywood are sensory, affecting sight, smell, and touch. She conquers the minimalism of her means of expression with scale and multiplication, eagerly reaching for the found object, the artefact.