curtain above the sea 2019

Lech Jankowski made this painting, whose title is "Curtain Above the Sea," with oil paint. It's 52 by 36 cm. Look at how the painting evolved! It must have emerged through layers of trial, error, and a whole lot of intuition. I can imagine Jankowski thinking about what it might have been like to conjure such depth and feeling with these colours, letting each layer dry before the next. The paint looks thick, heavily textured, and almost tactile, as though you could reach out and touch the waves. The brushstrokes are all directions, echoing the movements of the sea, which can be calm, chaotic, and everything in between. For me, the curtain in the title evokes the idea of the stage, and the sea beyond as a performative backdrop, reflecting the idea that artists are in an ongoing dialogue. It feels like Jankowski invites ambiguity and multiple readings, and this is what can make painting so exciting.