Michal JANKOWSKI (b. 1977), Untitled [Straight to hell], 2010

In his painting, Michal Jankowski plays a conscious game with the tradition of avant-garde and surrealist art. The artist is highly aware that in the field of art many conventions, currents and styles have a kind of repetitive cycle. He also appreciates the knowledge of the viewer, who, thanks to his previous experience, can, in most cases, confidently list references, inspirations, influences related to the artwork he is viewing. It seems that the artist poses a question about the condition of art in the face of the popular statement that "everything has already been". Has the formula of painting, visual arts, in such a situation been exhausted? Can a contemporary artist be innovative and free from all comparisons?