Hanna Ilczyszyn – Poland/ Belgium – Painting
Hanna Ilczyszyn is a young Polish painter living in Belgium. She was an MFA student at Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten in Gent, Belgium, and previously studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, Poland. She has been exhibiting her work at many group shows in Belgium and Poland, and has been selling her work to collectors around the world.
She is one of the “One to Watch” artists by Saatchi online gallery, which promotes creators that are already gathering attention for their work. Her evocative paintings and drawings capture the innocence and uncertainties of childhood.
She is also one of the founders of POLISH WORKERS PRODUCTIONS artistic collective. The aim is to work collaboratively on artistic productions and bring down all sorts of stereotypes and beliefs.
Ritual Art- Time and Space
Statement:
I think of my work as an expression of dreams: feelings, atmosphere, the “inside”.They are like stories appearing unconsciously, while we sleep and disappearing when we wake up. Sort of memories which from some reason stay in our minds.
My inspiration comes mostly from photographs. I’m finding old, unknown, forgotten pictures and I’m transferring them onto a canvas or paper.
I give my personages new meaning. They appear on a canvas unclear surrounded by unknown space. From realistic photo they become unrealistic, distorted, “strange”. I want them to become austere in their form, no fine lines, no confections. I cloth them with clouds and plants. Sometimes they hide behind their hair or masks.
But isn’t it a way of remembering things, memories, past? Don’t we transform the “real” past into dreams and create them in a new way? Pure, simple and raw…
There is also а strong personal influence. I’m dressing up my personages in clothes, masks, colors and poses which I used to wear myself and which remind me things from before. They are becoming a sort of memories in a new appearance.
As Bulgarian folklore and mythology is rich in creatures, demons, witches, animals I would like to make series of portraits that will show my interpretation of some of them. I really like the Kukeri processions. Those huge dramatic masks and costumes which are reflecting an ancient nature tradition honouring the cycles of life, death and re-birth. Also the connection and respect for the nature is very strong and the rural surroundings in Gorna Lipnitsa are great to explore and feel the pagan myths which is still very strong part of Bulgarian culture.
