Włodzimierz Pastuszak

Associate professor at SAN
Doctor of Arts
Doctor of Science

wlodzimierzpastuszak@gmail.com

 

 

Expert in The Polish Chamber of Printing
The author of many expert opinions within the scope of colour reproducing, commissioned by The Polish Chamber of Printing.

Publications:
W. Pastuszak ‘Preparation of typescripts for automatic perception’, 93p. – 1977, Wydawnictwo Naukowo Technicze Publishing House,
W. Pastuszak ‘Colour or colour shade – an introduction to computer graphics’, 142p. – 1993, PAKO Publishing House,
W. Pastuszak, P. Szpygiel, ‘The riddles of computer graphics’, 170p. – 1998, ALFA Publishing House,
W. Pastuszak, ‘The colour in computer graphics’, 184p. – 2000, PWN Publishing House,
W. Pastuszak, ‘Three looks at the colour’, 190p. – 2005, Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL Publishing House,
W. Pastuszak, ‘Publishing graphics. Designer’s handbook’, 124p. – 2007 PJWSTK Publishing House

Participation in many research projects (KBN grant, KBN internal grant, MEN/KBN own research, statutory research, EU programs)

Individual and collective exhibitions:
2005 – Individual exhibition in PJWSTK Gallery, Warszawa
2005 – Individualexhibition in EAS Gallery in Warszawa
2005 – Individual exhibition in UMCS Gallery in Lublin
2006 - Individual exhibition in PJWSTK Gallery in Warszawa
2007 - Individual exhibition in UMCS Gallery in Lublin
2007 - Individual exhibition in Medicum Gallery in Warszawa
2007 - Individual exhibition in Samotnia Club in Puławy
2008 - Individual exhibition in Medicum Gallery in Warszawa
2009 – 2nd Zamosc Art Biennial in Zamosc
2010 - Individual exhibition in Muzeum Zamojskie in Zamosc
2010 - Individual exhibition in Art Montparnasse Gallery in Pari
2010 - Exhibition in Brama Gallery in Zamosc
2010 - Exhibition in MDK Gallery in Szczebrzeszyn
2010 - Exhibition in Zajezdnia Gallery in Lublin
2011 - Exhibition in Art Montparnasse Gallery in Pari
2011 - Exhibition in Muzeum Polonii in Budapest
2011 - Exhibition in ES Gallery in Miedzyrzecz Podlaski
2011 - III Zamosc Art Biennial in Zamosc
2011 - "Ground Art" exhibition in DPA Gallery in Warszawa
2011 - Exhibition in "Medium" Gallery in Warszawa
2011 - Singer's Warsaw Festival, Exhibition of L.W. Fijałkowskimi, Jewish Theatre Foyer
2012 - International Exhibition of Painting Border Region "Zelva 2012". Lithuanian Centre of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Warsaw
2012 - Group exhibition "Expo 2012 IdeaArte" Stazione Leopolda, Pisa, Italy (March)
2012 - Group exhibition "Auditorio de Salone del Mobile" Ponsacco, Wochy (May)
2012 - Personal exhibition "Spojrzystość" in the Château Gaillard, Bar-sur-Aube, France (June / July)
2012 - Personal exhibition "108 Bonno" Department of Information and Culture, the Japanese Embassy in Warsaw (August / September)
2012 - Personal exhibition "Evocation" in the Gallery Maison du XVI E, Bar-sur-Seine, France (September)
2012 - Personal exhibition "108 Bonno" Academic Cultural Centre UMCS "Zak Shack" (October)
2012 - Group exhibition Dwór Oliwski, Gdańsk. (November)
2013 - Personal exhibition in the Gallery DAP ZPAP, Warszawa (June)
2013 - IV Zamosc Art Biennial in Zamosc, Zamość (August-September)
2013 - Group exhibition „Art en Capital” Salon des Artistes Indépendants, Grand Palais,  Paryż (December)

Works in the collection of Zamosc Renaissance Association and in private collections in Poland, the Chech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, France, Sweden and the USA

 

 

Roman Banaszewski
At the meeting of science, technology and art Włodzimierz Pastuszak is, I dare say, an erudite person. He has a temper and inquisitiveness of a scientist and sensitivity of an artist.

From a variety of possible ways the author has chosen a narrow path leading to visualizing thoughts. To visualize a thought – at the very first one has to have great knowledge and secondly great courage. In this case, visualization is a specific skill of using imagination. The uniqueness, at this stage of creation process, is about using one’s own mind to create internal pictures just in themselves, to ‘see’ the pictures in their own mind. Pastuszak imagines, sees that picture in the form of a churned up ocean. His mind is teeming with thoughts that are good and wicked, stupid and wise, trite and brilliant, vague and very precise. Motion and space have no beginning and no end.

Thanks to imagination and realization competence, from the chaos of thoughts there emerges space – a metaphor that includes the features of human existence. The space is a cycle of digital graphics with significant titles: Clear thought; Two thoughts; Wicked thought; Golden thoughts; Obsession; Two greeds; Prophetic thought, Night talks of thoughts; Flow of thoughts; Marian; Invention; Scleromonuments –hubris; These, who are gone. This cycle may not be finished yet. It should be expected that the artist will follow the path, since the ocean of thoughts is never-ending.

Włodzimierz Pastuszak also deals with the theory of art and the issues of form analysis and colour theory are very close to him. He is able to discuss these subjects with great passion. Respectful towards traditions, he is open to new phenomena in art. The area of visual arts is constantly broadening, the borders between the disciplines of fine arts perceived in a traditional way are getting blurred. Interdisciplinary and multimedia actions have become popular as never before. Through the ages, from a simple stone as a tool  we have come to a computer processor. The barriers of technical realization of ideas are disappearing.

Włodzimierz Pastuszak is a competent in every aspect participant and representative of the information society that is coming into being under our very eyes. He has achieved real mastery in creating graphics using digital technology. Looking at his graphics I understand the author’s fascination for the works of the Swiss artist Hans Giger, who has invented an unusual world using an aerograph and templates. Giger is considered as a guru of the fantasy realism creators and in technical realization of his works he attained utter artistry using a tool that is so hard to master. Fantasy realism has many representatives also in our artistic arena – Olbiński, Sętowski, Beksiński and in computer graphics and animation Tomasz Bagiński, creator of the famous ‘Cathedral’ based on the story by Jacek Dukaj. Because of the character and quality of realization I count him among this circle of creators.

The true author’s fascination,  his guru as he wrote is Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis – a painter, composer and mystic. The artist studied painting and music composition in Warsaw at the beginning of the previous century. The ‘musical’ pictures of Čiurlionis reflect the atmosphere of that period i.e. mysticism, fascination for culture, art and the Eastern philosophy.  The artistic work of Čiurlionis, as Pastuszek wrote, has a charge of transcendental spirituality, is close to metaphysical  spheres.

It has to be emphasized that confronting the graphics of Włodzimierz Pastuszak with previously mentioned artists doesn’t show immediate inspiration by their works. Giger and Čiurlionis fascinate the author, as it seems, for different reasons. The first impresses with his technique, the perfection in using a tool. The latter fascinates by the atmosphere, the power of expression of his painting and music.

The work of Pastuszak, as he writes is based on two ‘inventions’ – spiritual and intellectual. As in the philosophy of zen intuition and spontaneity set a path for his inventions – knowledge and intellect correct the creation process. The entire work (graphics and animations) makes unity that cannot be split.

The cycle of thirteen graphics makes a stylistically consistent whole. Their titles according to the principles of the cycle refer to the author’s state of mind – visualized thoughts and inventions. In my opinion, all these works have a strong influence on the imagination of the viewer.  Each of these pictures instantly provokes the creation of internal pictures in my mind. It has to be emphasized that an undoubted feature of Włodzimierz Pastuszak’s works is their originality. I do not find in these works any reference to other artists’ works that are familiar to me.  That’s why I highly appraise the cycle of 13 digital graphics and animations, treating these works as one consistent piece of art.

This feature of community of animations and graphics results from pedantic application of a principle by the author not to present in the animated picture any ‘foreign’ forms, ‘foreign’ meaning such that are not present in the graphics. This self-discipline of the author resulted in the animation in an unusual moving picture, full of tension with huge charge of expression. In front of the viewer’s eyes the thoughts and inventions turned into static picture of graphics are revived , they are floating through the ocean of mind with some unusual tranquility but at the same time with some potential of tension lying dormant. Each thought is born before our eyes, presents itself with majesty and then transforms causing birth of another thought. Čiurlionis cantata De profundis , which accompanies the pictures of animation makes the expression burden even greater and it is organically consistent with the picture. I consider the music to be perfectly suitable for the presented animation. From the artistic and cognitive point of view, the cycle of graphics and the animation are a brilliant set.

Roman Banaszewski

Graphic designer and painter
Full Professor
University of Fine Arts in Kraków

 

 

Artur Popek
Włodzimierz Pastuszak, a creator curious about the world, difficult to define in a precise way, falling outside any explicit, clichéd classifications. His artistic path has been going contrary to all typical ways. As an experienced practitioner, guru of colour in the printing industry and in virtual spaces, he has entered the area of spontaneous creation, easily constructing his own graphic vision of the world.

Climbing up his career ladder – from a graphic designer making retouch to important managerial positions – he has landed at the Polish – Japanese Institute of Information Technologies.  Thanks to new contacts he got fascinated with Japanese philosophy and culture.

Thus, a technocrat and protagonist of the Mediterranean opened his mind for wider perspectives and he joined two worlds together into one consistent whole.

Each serious challenge that is put out to the surrounding world leaves an imperishable mark in the person, it builds up one’s worldly wisdom, it teaches humility and respect for the unknown. That is what happened in the case of Włodzimierz Pastuszak. That is probably where the subject of the cycle of graphics ‘Thoughts and inventions’ derives from.

The subject which is by all means very difficult, even dangerous exposing the author  to wise men as well as posers’ attacks, provoking to disputes, polemics and ostensibly easy negations.

Considering the cycle of graphics ‘Thoughts and inventions’ in a comprehensive way it can be noticed how the visual language of Włodzimierz Pastuszak is gradually developing. In his case the computer as a starting point offers clear space and the possibility of a dialogue with a cleaned mind. It means that the ‘ingredients’ are not photographs or ready vectorial objects that are intended for transformations. The only things that matter, as in traditional workshop are mind, psyche, eye, hand and tool. The awareness of possibilities and constraints, imposed by software designed for special tasks is a prerequisite of a valuable creation in digital technologies.

The peculiarity of Włodzimierz Pastuszak’s artistic expression  derives from his relation with computer. Looking at the works of the author I am trying to answer some questions. Is professionalism necessary for the works of art? Is a learnt technique an inspiration, or is a deliberate technical casualness  needed to cross clichéd, safe borders? In this case the answer is simple: consciousness of the tool has perfectly influenced the creation effect.

There are some works: ‘Clear thought’ is a virtual embryo hanging in the abyss, polished with boundlessness of time, vulnerable and petrified at the same  time. The form cannot be interpreted in an explicit way, feeding imagination and allowing a variety of non-verbal associations. Some works, conducted in a more representational way, derive partly from the previous cycles of graphics that are full of symbolism: ‘Flow of thoughts’, ‘These, who are gone’. On the other hand we can analyze the continuity of Włodzimierz Pastuszak’s development, and appreciate the pace at which he is growing to be a mature artist. ‘Scleromonuments –hubris ‘ is one of my favourite works resembling the atmosphere of ‘Manon’ by Janusz Przybylski, which proves another essential feature of Włodzimierz Pastuszak graphics – his sense of humour.

In one of the most striking works of the set ‘Two greeds’ we get the impression of a thick texture, traces of a coarse impast, varnish darkened with age. Such painterliness appears also in the works ‘Wicked thought’, ‘Golden thoughts’, ‘Obsession’. The multilayered structure is creating an emotional depth, perhaps even more accurate in the abstract than in representational layer. I think, that these works set out an important direction of exploration and development for the artist’s artistic path. This is also a significant contribution to the quest within the area of digital graphics, especially in discovering new techniques.

Artur Popek

Associate professor at MCSU Artur Popek
The Institute of Fine Arts
The Faculty of Arts
MCSU in Lublin