Acrylic on canvas, 2* 33 x 24 cm
Size: 2 × 24 × 33 cm; framed size: 55 × 78 cm
Description of the Painting
This set consists of two independent works, each measuring 24 × 30 cm, combined into a single, strikingly impressive composition. The paintings depict expressive bouquets of flowers—one rendered in intense shades of pink, the other composed of vibrant reds and oranges. The free-flowing lines and bold splashes of color lend the flowers a sense of lightness, dynamism, and decorative charm. Both works engage in a colorful dialogue with one another while retaining their own distinct personalities. A unique, carefully designed frame. The set’s most distinctive feature is its one-of-a-kind frame, created specifically for these two paintings. The works are placed side by side, forming a cohesive and impressive diptych. Each painting is framed by: a deep, elegant black that enhances the intensity of the colors; a striking red molding that echoes the flowers’ color palette; and a richly ornamented frame in an antique gold hue, lending the entire composition a sense of nobility and majesty. The combination of the paintings’ modern, expressive form with the classic, decorative frame creates an intriguing contrast between the contemporary and the traditional. The frame is not merely an accessory—it is an integral part of the composition and enhances its collectible value. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, designed as a set and ready for display. It is perfect as a striking focal point in an elegant living room, study, or formal space.
Joanna Mieszko (b. 1969) is a painter, sculptor, performance artist, and art curator. She also works in photography and drawing. She graduated from the State Higher School of Fine Arts (now the University of Arts) in Poznań, where she studied in the sculpture studios of Prof. Józef Petruk, Prof. Maciej Szańkowski, and Prof. Józef Kopczyński, and in drawing under Prof. Józef Drążkiewicz and Prof. Bogdan Wegner. She also studied animation under Prof. Kazimierz Urbański and Prof. Jacek Adamczak and attended classes taught by Professors Jan Berdyszak and Leszek Mądzik in Skoki. Her 1996 thesis project, a series of sandstone sculptures titled “Struggles,” was installed in the park at the Poznań Zoo.
From 2014 until Edward Dwurnik’s death in 2018, Mieszko collaborated with the artist, creating during that time an extensive photographic documentation—both factual and artistic—of this collaboration. During this time, she also worked intensively on a series of large-scale acrylic paintings and hundreds of smaller works in ink. Her body of work includes her original performance piece “The Act of Creation,” as well as presentations of sculptures, large-format drawings, and paintings at solo and group exhibitions. Together with Edward Dwurnik, she organized an exhibition of black-and-white works at the Stalowa Gallery in Warsaw. She also curated Dwurnik’s exhibitions in Szczecin, at the ZPAP “Kierat” Gallery (2014) and at the Pomeranian Library (2014 and 2018).
Joanna Mieszko is a member of the ZAiKS Authors’ Association and the Association of Polish Artists and Designers.
The Szczecin audience may remember Joanna Mieszko from the performance “The Act of Creation,” which took place in June 2012 at the ZPAP “Kierat” Gallery. At that time, the artist created impressive charcoal drawings on large panels at a breakneck pace. This time, she presents a series of large canvases painted in acrylic and oil, which trace her artistic journey. It begins with depictions of the human body—naked and exposed in a metaphysical sense—through the interrelationships between the figures. Subsequent works are inspired by Nikifor’s painting technique, dominated by shades of gray, black, and white. They transition seamlessly into urban vedute, where forms and colors take on organic relationships, symbolically conveying their purposefulness and dysfunctionality.
These works depict cities such as New York, Paris, Lisbon, and Szczecin, symbolizing the boundless expansion of the ego, which draws its power from the urban environment. Nevertheless, they remain on the fringes of contemporary artistic trends, drawing inspiration and lessons from masters such as Nikifor and Dwurnik. In particular, Edward Dwurnik, to whom Joanna dedicated her exhibition, which coincides with the month of his birthday—he would have turned 77 on April 19.
In her works, Mieszko captures the narratives of urban landscapes and quasi-organic structures, introducing interdependent figures into them and bringing time to life. These stories, unfolding from the primal source that is the human being, are full of energy, emotion, and discipline, opening new doors in her artistic project.
