Magdalena Nowatkowska
Magdalena Nowatkowska, born 1982, graduate of the Institute of Design in Koszalin, master of art, long-time illustrator, graphic designer, interior, fashion and home accessories designer.
After years of experimenting and observing the world, he simplifies what is complicated in his painting.
It works in several cycles simultaneously. It touches on difficult, existential topics, presenting them in a simplified, elaborate, simple painting form.
Works of Magdalena Nowatkowska:
The first series, created at the beginning of the pandemic, is titled "Distance". It is a series of paintings about emotions, interpersonal interactions, energy, fear and reactions to incomprehensible, foreign, contradictory messages. About their impact on human behavior. This is a series about people… Graphically simplified, geometric forms seem to influence each other. Isolate, levitate, colonize from small or larger groups. It is an analysis of interpersonal vibrations in various contexts, spaces and circumstances.
In the "Boundaries" series, he explores the sense and senselessness of their existence. It is a response to unpredictable phenomena. It was initiated precisely at the time of disturbing reports about the war. It is a story about what the artist sees, feels and observes. It is a study of relationships between people. About what causes fear and uncertainty. As much as you can… It is a record of the interactions between them, something that is somewhere between the world of peace and the world of total chaos.
This is a series about emotions. About overcoming obstacles. About possibilities and their lack. About power and helplessness. About power. About closeness. About relationships. Longing. About boundaries. About the sense and senselessness of their existence. About people. In short.
The human figure is reduced here to simple figurative forms, to the most simplified signs, with the eye marked as the dominant, visibly exaggerated element.
The series is an attempt to delve into fundamental questions about the existence, meaning and complexity of human experience, human resilience and the ability to overcome obstacles and contradictions. What defines us as individuals and as a society. It is a manifesto that the human spirit is unlimited in its potential and resilience.
The third series is "Dimensionless - Geometric Compositions". This is a smooth transition from the "Borders" series to even greater simplifications. Reducing simple, but still figurative forms from the previous series to abstract geometric systems. The series is a study on the potential of minimalism. It is an artistic commentary on what already existed.
The "Horizons" series is a series of works inspired by simple shots from life, in public space, architecture and urban planning. The works in this series are characterized by simplicity of form. Here they experiment with the horizon line, which symbolizes the border between earth and sky, between spaces and objects. It is a metaphor for the border between the past and the future.
The use of pure minimalist forms and the correlation between individual surfaces encourage reflection on color, shape, composition and time.
Series "Borrowed Images", is a series of minimalist abstractions. These are captured existing images in the space that the artist is looking for. A record of bits of what surrounds us. These are narrow frames of a broad perspective of life.
It is a diary of interesting circumstances, a record of the magic of fleeting moments.
These images are a nod to chance, inspiration and unexpected beauty found in the least expected places, moments and circumstances. Available to everyone, at your fingertips, in the nearest public space, perhaps just around the corner.
It is an attempt to appreciate the little things, the uniqueness of everyday life that often escapes our attention. But all you have to do is stop for a moment and look to almost certainly notice something…
“Borrowed Miniatures“ – miniatures from the series “Borrowed Paintings“
The artist has set herself the goal of building a large installation. It will consist of 1000 miniatures. Made up of many tiny tiles, mini paintings, remembered, borrowed, framed from everyday life.
A multitude of tiny objects will build a larger story. A story about what Magdalena sees and remembers. It's a mosaic in which each tile is a different story, yet somehow they all connect.
Next series of paintings – “In-Between“, is a deep meditation on the subtlety and transience of what lies in the spaces in between. With precision and sensitivity, the artist explores the breaks and gaps that connect and divide objects, spaces, people, and items, as well as those stretching between the past, present, and future. Each painting in the “In-Between” series attempts to capture what is usually elusive and unnoticed.
Magdalena Nowatkowska's latest series of paintings – “Other” includes works that do not belong to any of the artist’s main series. These are unique and independent paintings, created outside the strict concepts of her other collections. They are united by the search for new forms of expression, freedom of experiment, and openness to diverse themes. Each work tells its own story – from minimalist compositions, through abstract arrangements of colors and shapes, to subtle symbolic narratives. This cycle is a testament to Magdalena’s artistic freedom, showing her ability to go beyond established frameworks and create works that surprise with freshness and originality.
Magdalena Nowatkowska encourages the viewer to reflect on the meaning and beauty of breaks, which, though often overlooked, are crucial for our perception of the world.