War: Rugs 2018

Małgorzata Serwatka made this painting "War: Rugs," with what looks like oil on canvas. I’m intrigued by the way she has created this image of jumbled clothes, like a pile of memories or discarded identities. The texture here is everything. Serwatka builds up layers of paint to mimic the folds and creases of fabric. You can almost feel the weight and density of the pile. Notice the area with the sunflower print, how the bright yellows and blues pop against the darker tones, and how each item is rendered with attention to its unique pattern and form. I can't help but think of Kurt Schwitters’ “Merzbau,” a chaotic assemblage of found objects that became a kind of portrait of the artist himself. "War: Rugs," also feels like a portrait, but one that speaks to the complexities of human experience, loss, and the stories we carry with us. Art is always a conversation, a dialogue across time and space.