Pejzaż morski, 2 VII 1934

Wladyslaw Strzeminski created this work, Pejzaz morski, 2 VII, using paint on canvas. Born in Warsaw in 1893, Strzeminski's life was profoundly marked by war and physical trauma; he lost an arm and a leg during World War I. How do we interpret an artist's body of work when we know that that body was itself fragmented? Strzeminski, despite these physical challenges, became a pivotal figure in the Polish avant-garde. His theories on Unism advocated for art that was unified and organic, much like a living organism. Consider how the light blues and whites evoke a sense of calm and boundlessness; the ocean has no edge. Strzeminski’s abstraction, in this work, invites a deeply personal, emotional response, as he sought to convey a sense of harmony and unity in a world that often felt fractured. It's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of art amidst personal and historical trauma.