Janusz Kokot

Red Cardinal - Contemporary Abstract Expressive Oil Pastel Painting

2023

Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he organized 19 individual exhibitions. He took part in dozens of collective exhibitions in Poland and abroad. He is a laureate of 13 prizes and distinctions in national competitions. „In my art I like to speak quietly. The meaningful message is often only heard in a whisper. To show something strong, but subtle, without shouting, is a challenge for me and an adventure I enjoy. I believe this way can reveal the talent of the artist. I love to explore the possibilities for the medium I am using, to see how much I can take from it, to push the boundaries. Often I create a series of paintings, taking something from the last to form the next. During my 30 year career I have used many mediums including water colours and oil paints, but for the last ten years I have almost exclusively been using oil pastel on paper. In recent times, my art has taken two different paths: the first is the study of landscapes. Where I have tried to expel all that makes the composition ‘heavy ’. In this way my drawings have evolved towards abstract art, but the viewer can still find some hint of road, journey or elements of nature. The second path is pure abstract which is a result of my admiration of minimal art, and a natural consequence of my study of the landscape. But in all of this, the medium, composition or subject is just a pretext to try to find truth and beauty.” Janusz Kokot