Fantasy Surrealism - Henryk Szydlowski Wed, 03 May 2023

Polish born, Perth based artist Henryk Szydlowski elevates both the eye and spirit of the viewer. A graduate of Krakow's Academy of Fine Arts, Szydlowski emigrated to New Zealand in the late 1970s, teaching at Whitecliffe. School of Art for seven years before settling in Western Australia. During the following decade he exhibited in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Singapore and the United States attracting international attention supported by the publication of Door to Dreams. The integrity of Szydlowski's work lies in his unique interpretation of line, form and colour. As a young artist he absorbed the philosophies of 20th Century German movements such as Der Blaue Reiter also paying particular attention to the work of Klee and Kandinsky. Using tactile planes of richly applied colour, often complemented with metallic washes of gold and silver, Szydlowski personalises and reinvents the essence of these earlier influences, suggesting both abstract thought and concrete image. Harmony is achieved by the subtle blending of elements and brilliantly balanced compositions. There is a sense of both glamour and high energy in these unforgettable works. Frances Davies - Director