Mariusz Hermansdorfer

Konrad Jarodzki

In 1963 Konrad Jarodzki chooses the first motif of his works and determines its artistic form. The image of heads is the motif and graphic planes of a uniform or opposite colour constitute the form. On the neutral surface of the canvas, they create a simple structure with a predominance of verticals and horizontals. The rhythmic arrangement is sometimes enlivened by curved lines that divide larger fields into a series of parts. In this way, the form of a head is reduced to a painterly ideogram – it is a pretext, an artistic sign with its own content, independent of the original.

In the years 1963-1964 this sign is represented in a geometric form in the artist’s paintings. Its contours are similar in all compositions – they are narrow, slightly shaded, with a colour that contrasts with the surface of the canvas. Subsequently, the artist introduces thickened texture, uses the play of lights and shadows, broadens small planes into the whole painting. Uniform figures are then replaced by internally differentiated forms. Their edges are also altered; rectangles are replaced by irregular shapes with broad, painterly outlines.

A new kind of transposition brings Jarodzki’s paintings closer to organic art. The artist is now concerned with the problem of decay, disintegration and destruction of form.  There is constant movement in the compositions. Strong structures crack and their components combine into new systems. The shapes are fluid, reminding of cellular forms. The previous dark tones of the canvases give way to whites, greys, muted greens.

Around 1969, Jarodzki brings the process of reducing forms to a critical point. They disappear from the field of vision, leaving only the neutral plane of the canvas. On the one hand, a new act of disintegration or construction may begin in this area; on the other hand, however, nothing may happen and in this case the artist’s paintings will constitute a peculiar form of unism. One way or another, he is then at a turning point and has to solve this problem. Jarodzki does it in an unexpected way: he returns to a compact form, which he breaks up again.

The following transformations, however, are the negation of the previous process. In the first example the disintegration of matter is the result of an organic reaction, it occurrs in the centre of the shape and comes onto the surface from there. Now vice versa. The biological tissue is being destroyed from the outside, absorbed by space, which gains a surreal aspect The disappearance of form takes place over a huge area, in a void saturated with light, where there are no points of support. There are only two opposing forces – matter and space; what is verifiable and what is immeasurable.

The passage of fragments of the organic body into nothingness happens systematically and leaves no traces. Shape loses particular elements, reveals the structure of the interior, connects to the void by means of a dozen or so branches. It is presented on various planes in close-ups, which reveal pulsating tissues receding in the perspective, when it forms an irregular, fleshy solid.

After a while, the destroyed areas are filled with new cells, they grow in length and breadth and merge with the main organism. During this metamorphosis, a different arrangement of forms is created, which is again subjected to destructive action. Thus, one reaction immediately triggers another and the following process lasts until the artist makes an unexpected turn again. He does that in a way which is very similar to the previous one. For a longer period of time he creates few paintings which constitute a continuation of a previously adopted way of artistic interpretation and later – in 1971 – he suddenly changes his approach. At that time, he rejects the basic principle of his compositions – the contrast between matter and space. The structural shape and its surroundings merge together. Organic form is devoid of thick texture and its multi-layer construction gives way to a thin layer of tissues. What used to be a luminous void changes into an area composed of multiple microorganisms. In some works it is still possible to determine the former border, but mostly it is unlikely.

This symbiosis results in greater spaciousness of the composition. In drawings, it is a linear space built of many horizontally arranged lines whereas in oil paintings the effect is achieved by means of paint glazes. In the latter realisations, the organic form was presented in motion, at the moment of transformation, right when it expands and penetrates deep into the immeasurable area. The direction of its expansion is specified – it runs into the centre of the composition or intersects it along a diagonal line. However, the beginning of this process and its completion are not marked.  For all this is happening in the same surreal world as before, where we observe the effect without knowing its cause.

This artistic quality of Konrad Jarodzki’s compositions comes from a completely opposite approach. Contrary to the classical assumptions of surrealism, he never succumbs to the influence of chance. Conversely. The aforementioned stages of the artist’s work are part of a consistent and planned procedure. The artist adopts a specific way of interpretation and continues it until he reaches the zero point.  Any further move in the same direction may lead to self-plagiarism.  This is followed by a period devoid of artistic realisations, a time of thoughts and reflections which assumes more importance than the manual process itself.

Then, the next stage begins, which –so far – constitutes a perfect reversal of a previous situation. Therefore, Jarodzki acts as if he wanted to check whether it is possible to obtain the previous effect while using the same elements but experiencing new conditions.

Translated by: Małgorzata Możdżyńska-Nawotka, Katarzyna Mironowicz, ACR – Centrum Tłumaczeń Specjalistycznych

SOURCE:

Text originally published in the monthly magazine Odra 1975, no. 1, pp. 77 – 78.

Courtesy of the Culture and Art Center (OKiS) [Ośrodek Kultury i Sztuki (OKiS)] in Wrocław