More than twenty oil paintings can be viewed at the “Mała Biała” gallery in BOK – MCC until the end of February 2018. Powałka’s realist-symbolic painting focuses on the theme of the human being: its condition, fantasies, limitations, greatness and fragility.
The father and his two sons create together, although each has different inspirations, skills and ways of expressing himself. Their painting is based on metaphor, surrealism and allegory. For the artists, the most important elements of art are technique and the quality of the work produced. The idea shared by the three painters is to improve themselves and achieve mastery. To be a good artist, one must be an excellent craftsman—this is how Jan Powałka, the family patriarch, describes his painting.
“I started painting first,” Jan Powałka said at the opening in Bolesławiec. “A long time ago, about 40 years ago. I gradually introduced my sons to art. I don’t know whether that was a good thing, because art is great and the money is small. I only hope that my sons will change this trend and receive great money for great art,” the family patriarch explained.
Michał Powałka worked in Italy for a long period, where he created applied art. Krzysztof, the youngest son, worked and lived in Spain. However, both returned to the family studio in Czeladź to create their shared family philosophy of painting.
“He created applied art for a living, and it began to trouble him,” Michał said. “There was no room for individuality there. It bothered me, so I completely abandoned that chapter of my life and began painting.”
Today, the Powalka Galery produces technically accomplished paintings with an interesting, unconventional message. The artists constantly explore and learn about the unknown territory of humanism and the individual known as the human being.
