Artur Popek's demonstrates many examples of texture on canvas in Bestiarium & Around

Internationally known Polish artist Artur Popek has a fascinating exhibition, Bestiarium & Around, in East Village's 1112 Gallery, The Society of the Arts, 1112 N. Milwaukee Ave., which will be open until July 3. 

"Popek is one of the most outstanding contemporary Polish artists," explained Christopher Kamyszew, the Society's Executive Director.

Popek's first work was more often small black and white graphics executed mostly in various metal techniques. "I attempted to collect all the mess of our world. In the plethora of carefully discovered things and thoughts the pieces have become signs of my own alphabet, intimate language," Popek explained. 

"The perfectly made miniatures were composed with extraordinary precision and attention to numerous details," describes Kamyszew. 

In the last few years Popek has turned his concentration to larger images as he developed his own techniques in applying paint with other material to canvas. He achieves the most interesting textures, sometimes building up  a 3-dimensional image, other times giving the illusion of depth, often producing patterned texture in the background.

In this exhibit Popek explores methaporic references to the modern world in a realm of animals. His creatures in the Bestiarium series are characterized by fractures and deformations;" says Kamyszew. "Yet these qualities, natural for human beings, don’t deprive the animals of their extraordinary appeal. Peregrinations, the other cycle of paintings constitutes poetic reflections on his numerous journeys to various countries made lately. The works here are first of all images of the artist’s emotional transpositions of his impressions and observations. 

Popek, born in Szczebrzeszyn, Poland in 1960. He studied psychology and fine arts in the school where he is  now the Dean of Art Faculty, the Maria Sklodowska-Curie University in Lublin. Popek, his wife and children live in Lublin.  

The gallery is open to the public Tues.to Sun. from noon to 6 p.m.. Closed on Monday and holidays. 

Admission is free. For further information please call 773.486.9612 or visit the Society for Arts’ website.