The Tea Amantes team has brought us another fine exhibition, this time featuring the work of Polish artist, Radek Marszalik.
I bussed it down to Albert Road to catch the opening event. The place soon filled with Blackpool and the Fylde’s creatives and friends and the evening turned into quality social time.
This work is of incredible detail and clearly requires great technical skill to put it together. There is good colour use and then contrast with stark yet intricate monochrome images.
Radek says:
“I adore creating with oil paints, graphite, colour pencils and other mediums, which allow me to explore all the ideas appearing in my head. I’m a self-taught artist, inspired by the world’s dark nature, existing or not. People, the rich texture of the environment around us, books, movies. These things have a huge impact on me since adolescence. I hope that you will enjoy what I have created.”
One has to say that this work is dark, even not for those of a particularly sensitive disposition. So don’t have nightmares, as I think somebody once said.
I would say that Radek could have a lucrative career designing album covers and other graphics for death metal bands; possibly becoming the Roger Dean of that genre. Having said which, the work stands in its own right. Possible fine art influences would be Goya and Hieronymus Bosch, particularly the latter. Having said which I sensed a strong element of Saturn Devouring His Son (a tribute to quality paternity by Goya), among the pieces.
Getting into conversation, we found an influence from low budget British sci fi, inevitably including Dr Who. I mentioned the animation of Ray Harryhausen: some of the pieces reminded me of those classic films with their amazing stop motion sequences – or we thought so at the time (check out Jason and the Argonauts). Radek has the power to create an entire fantasy world, but not one you would want to live in.
I thoroughly enjoyed viewing and discussing these pieces, before trotting off to get the 6 bus home. The exhibition can be viewed until 1st August 2022 and is recommended. Partake of tea and even cake, while you’re there and grab an events programme for a venue that’s becoming an increasingly important part of the Blackpool creative scene.
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