Portraits of the Imagination – Known and Unknown
Exhibition Review
The exhibition “Animals, Known and Unknown” by Adam Saran at Galeria ART BRUT is a fascinating journey into a world of imagination and emotion, where people take on the forms of animals. The artist presents people known from the media, as well as family members, friends and acquaintances, as “animal” portraits. In his paintings, humanity becomes intertwined with instinct, while the character and emotions of the sitter are expressed through form and colour across the canvas.
For some time now, Adam Saran has been taking part in the television programme “Autentyczni”, in which people on the autism spectrum take on the role of journalists interviewing well-known celebrities. In each episode, Adam paints a portrait of the invited guest on air, and these “portraits” were also represented in the exhibition.
Saran’s works are characterised by extraordinary expressiveness. The figures seem to be in motion, often shown in profile, with bold colour combinations and plain backgrounds that reinforce the visual impact. The artist does not explain the symbolism of his animals. The creative process remains entirely his own, leaving the audience free to interpret the works: “Viewer, observe and surrender to your imagination”, writes the artist’s mother, Małgorzata Wzorek-Saran, in the exhibition leaflet. She herself was portrayed by her son as a Ladybug.
The exhibition’s closing event, held on 25 June 2025, was an exceptional occasion. The gallery filled with friends, artists, members of Teatroterapia Lubelska and art lovers. Within this community, Adam’s art encountered the human being, and the paintings became emotional portraits, read not through reason but through the heart. Saran’s animals, full of tenderness, energy and movement, reflected his relationships and feelings towards the people in his life, while the audience could recognise themselves in them, sometimes in amusing, sometimes in moving ways.
Interestingly, perhaps unconsciously, or perhaps deliberately, the exhibition and its closing event encouraged interaction with the works displayed on the gallery walls. Almost every painting is signed on the reverse with the name of the person portrayed. Visitors would therefore often take a selected canvas from the wall to check whether their own idea of the identity of the person depicted matched the artist’s vision. Was this still an exhibition closing, or had it already become a participatory happening?
The closing evening was therefore more than the end of an exhibition. It was a celebration of community, art and authenticity, a moment in which the image became a mirror and the known and unknown met in one place. Adam Saran’s work reminds us that art can bring people together, inspire and open hearts, if only we take the time to look closely.
Adam Saran
Animals, Known and Unknown
June 2025
Exhibition closing event: 25 June 2025, 17:00
Property of the Lublin Theater Therapy Foundation. All rights reserved.
Realized with financial support from the City of Lublin