 The White Series #XIV Gosha Karpowicz oil on canvas, 24" x 18"; $1,200 Exhibited at Village West in Slow Art Fall 2019 |
The painting #XIV of The White Series 2019 is one of the fourteen paintings representing my inquiry into the nature of White. Their subject relies on the merging of the emotional memory of my homeland, Poland, with the life of the painting process itself. The final expression attempts to be a more universal, a more objective expression of our yearning for meaning and our desire to connect.
The White Series 2019 is an odyssey that begins in darkness, weaves its way through shadows and arrives at White. Darkness is primary, layering colors until they are saturated, heavy and opulent. Oftentimes it is hard to take that darkness away; here's where one can rest, where it's peaceful and full of possibility. Transitioning from darkness to shadows and then unfolding to White becomes an alchemical process, much like being a parent. One gives birth to an essence that has the opportunity to grow and become fully realized. Both painter and parent guide that essence, assisting, then letting go to allow a unique creation to exist as a singular entity.
When I arrive at White, it's always tinted, shaded and molded by what came before it. Pure White does not exist in reality, just like pure light cannot be perceived by the naked eye. It needs some interaction, an interference to become visible and relatable. I imagine pure White would be blinding like a "milky fog on the ocean" without a point of reference, without direction, it's indifference calmly veils memories and the past. White holds for me a sense of uncertainty for the future, it vacillates and won't be pinned down, it leaves a trace of an intriguing mystery. Within White's achromatic vibration, an observer is invited to layer a new vision.
I see my painting as non-objective, yet they seem to refer to some objective, human, emotional, and always multi-layered experience. The reference to a horizon, evokes in me a sense of wonder, and the unknown, no beginning and no end, it slows me down, into observing attentively.
In a world where stillness is rare, my paintings rely on the moments of quietude, where they take time to create time.
If you are interested in purchasing this work you can do so directly through the artist by contacting Gosha Karpowicz or visit goshakarpowiczart.com.