For various reasons, my beyond-virtual life has recently become so intense that I simply had no time to blog. And as if this wasn’t enough, now, I’ve been hit by the national quarantine due to coronavirus spreading in Poland. I work from home, but with my offspring at my side which does not make things easy. Nevertheless, this whole plague preventing isolation has some perks. For instance, I do not commute to work each day anymore, so I hope I will be able to take up writing frequently again. If one is to trust the data, when I write at this very moment, about 75% of Poles stay at home and limit their social activities. I am pretty sure you do more less the same if you are not Polish but live somewhere in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America or even South America and Africa. Isolation is not a piece of cake. However, maybe thanks to staying more at home, you have time to do something new ? How about seeing some art for a change? As normally, who has time for this, right? At least this is what I think and it is how “paintings in the times of plague” came to my mind. This post will be short and mostly pictorial, but nothing to worry about: it’s such a “sneak peek”/ teaser. In the following I will be “tormenting” the painters’ copyrights (yes, yes), legal aspects of the coronavirus (of course) and many other matters interesting for me, and I hope also for you.
PAINTINGS IN TIMES OF PLAGUE OR HOW I WENT TO THE EXHIBITION
It all started with the fact that exactly a week before Polish national quarantine due to the coronavirus, I was completely unaware of what is coming and I went to see a certain exhibition. Well, OK it was not a random one but a very specific “Babylon 3” in the gallery “Pod Eye” in Warsaw.
Of course, I did not get there by accident. I’ve known one of the artist showing their works at this exhibition for 36 (yes: thirty-six) years. Portraits from Babylon are her travel memories. Very special because they concern only women she met on her journeys. No metaphors, allegories and no typical modern – art approach. Only people. More specifically, women.
PAINTINGS IN TIMES OF PLAGUE OR WHO IS IWA KRUCZKOWSKA-KRÓL
If you wonder who Iwa is, well, in addition she is someone I have been knowing practically my whole life, she is above all an authentically good soul genuinely caring for others. So in a nutshell : she is way better person than I.
I’m trying, she just has it. And I do believe this is just screaming from these portraits.
TALENT AND DETERMINATION
Looking at these paintings, I guess you have no doubt that Iwa has talent. I’ve always enjoyed and admired it. My artistic and manual skills are comparable to the skill of a four-year-old and that’s probably how it will stay.
In addition, Iwa is perhaps the most determined person I have ever met. Compromises and half-measures have never existed for her when it comes to painting. If it was necessary to get up at dawn and go painting – she went. If it was necessary to clench her fists and pass again the entry exams for the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. She clenched and tried again.
Of course, she succeeded and to the extent that she has now a PhD in Arts. Needless to say that Iwa is a titan of work.
I do tell you if you had at least half or even 1/3 of her determination, you would have gone far by now. Not mentioning how far I would have gone, of course 😊.
For lovers of formal biographies. You can find all information about Iwa, for example, on Touch of Art. Besides, she also has her own Facebook page .
PAINTINGS IN TIMES OF PLAGUE: CORONAVIRUS HAS GIVEN YOU TIME – USE IT WELL
Okay, what I’m actually trying to say by this post?
In addition to the “sneak peek” of subsequent posts I am giving you the pleasure of watching beautiful portraits without leaving your house, of course.
But my final message to you is: if you have been given this rare luxury in today’s world as time – use it well. Even if it has been given to you by coronavirus.
In my own, humble opinion, the best way to use it is for the benefit of yourself and others.
See you soon, unless Iwa kills me after this post.
Greetings from the depths of the Humanist’s Den where I hide from COVID-19, Prawstoria
