Tomasz Kręcicki Cables, 2024
Oil on canvas
190 x 170 cm (74 3/4 x 66 7/8 in)
Depicting exposed wires sticking out of a cable, the work was conceived in context of Tomasz Kręcicki’s exhibition Move. The artist, who was anticipating his own move to another studio space when he conceived of the exhibition, seems to have spun out scenarios of such a relocation. Evoking an entire parallel realm of impressions and even sensations, Kręcicki's paintings become stepping stones for our imagination: The monumentally enlarged details of seemingly ordinary objects amount to brief glimpses, in close-ups, of a narrative that extends into the past and, importantly, will continue. The motif can symbolize both moving out—an appliance has been removed—or a beginning: a connection for the future.
Despite the visual wit and playfulness often associated with the over life-sized scale of his motifs, Kręcicki’s subject matter remains inherently existential, addressing both contemporary politics and its repercussions on the individual. For Kręcicki, who lives in Poland, his move also brought to mind people who have to flee their homes, not in organized “moves” but in often traumatic escapes from home, workplace or country. He knows his is a choice, even a sign of improvement and greater freedom.
Despite the visual wit and playfulness often associated with the over life-sized scale of his motifs, Kręcicki’s subject matter remains inherently existential, addressing both contemporary politics and its repercussions on the individual. For Kręcicki, who lives in Poland, his move also brought to mind people who have to flee their homes, not in organized “moves” but in often traumatic escapes from home, workplace or country. He knows his is a choice, even a sign of improvement and greater freedom.