The work of Zdzislaw Beksinski has enjoyed unflagging popularity for years. This is evidenced by the multitude of exhibitions and publications dedicated to the artist. However, Beksinski's relationship with the media world was not easy - he avoided talking publicly about his art and inspirations. His work is saturated with personal themes and references. The artist himself called his works "spiritual self-portraits." The subject of fascination - not only for specialists, but also for the general public - also remains Beksinski's uneasy biography.
Despite the huge interest in Beksinski, much of his work remains in the shadow of his painting activities. An extremely interesting field of his artistic pursuits is photography. It is around this branch of Beksinski's work that a meeting with Dorota Szomko-Osękowska - an art historian, philosopher and curator of the Historical Museum in Sanok - took place on August 17, 2023 as part of the series "Meetings with Art at the Powiśle Power Plant" organized by DESA Modern.
The Museum in Sanok is a unique institution. By virtue of the will of Zdzislaw Beksinski and his wife Zofia and son Tomasz, it has the largest collection of the artist's works and memorabilia. It is also the entity with full possession of his copyrights. Dorota Szomko-Osękowska works on Zdzislaw Beksinski's legacy on a daily basis. The fruit of these activities is the book Beksinski. Visions of Life and Death. The museum's collection includes both prints and original negatives, some of which have remained unknown for years. Ten new, previously unpublished works by Zdzislaw Beksinski have been included in DESA Modern's offer. Their presentation took place during the aforementioned "Meeting with Art" outdoor exhibition.
The presented closed edition of works documents the first period of Zdzislaw Beksinski's work, as photography was the main medium of his artistic expression in the 1950s. It is in the photographs that one can trace the fascinating development of his creative vision. The compositions of light, shadow and structure affect us with their depth and intriguing atmosphere, introducing us to the world of artistic experimentation and creative exploration. The photographs show the unprecedented maturity of the young Artist, but also the unique relationship he had with his beloved wife - and at the same time his most important model. The bonding closeness and trust between them allowed the creation of unique, sublime nudes.
Beksinski's photographs can be seen live in DESA Modern's galleries.
