As mentioned before, Wrzal uses both the painting knife and the traditional brush, allowing him to achieve a striking diversity of textures. His canvases invite viewers to experience the painted space almost tangibly, as if to feel it with their senses; the thick layers of paint lure the eye with their expressive power. Organic shapes dominate the compositions, along with bold yet subtly balanced warm colour tones that give the works both depth and dynamism.

Some paintings appear deliberately unfinished, while others display a carefully refined finish — a conscious balance between spontaneity and precision. Is the artist, perhaps, letting us glimpse the secret of his creative act? Or, in the fervour of his painterly struggle, is he revealing the almost “production-line” rhythm of his artistic process, born in a passionate outburst of creation?

Certainly, this exhibition is not merely a presentation of the artist’s technical skill, but above all an invitation to reflect on human emotions and experiences. Wrzal’s paintings, rich in hidden meanings and symbols, as always encourage personal interpretation and an individual response. The forms concealed within the textured surfaces of the canvases invite the viewer to search for additional layers of meaning.

For years, the Art Brut Gallery in Lublin has been promoting the work of outsider artists, offering them a space to express themselves and to share their unique visions of the world. Scratched fits perfectly into this mission, showing that art can serve as a bridge connecting different worlds and experiences — and also linking the artist with the viewer, who, through their own perception and reflection, in a way “completes” the creative act.

Marcin Wrzal
Scratched

On view: 2–30 April 2024