Michael Polakowski

"I wanted to play with the concept of a mirage to evoke feelings of summertime nostalgia, and deal with familiarity and longing through an intimate lens. I hope the viewer will be left with a yearning for the familiar and take away how nostalgia distorts perception and muddles comfortable memories."
–Michael Polakowski

Michael’s practice rests in the intersection between fine art, illustration and design. In his work, he strives to incorporate the bold experimentation of fine art, paired with a delicate design sensibility. To date, his body of work juxtaposes the real and unreal to tell stories that are just outside what you could believe.

He loves painting familiar environments—like the local corner store or an ordinary basement— with surreal juxtapositions that insinuate “not everything is quite right here.” His work consists of graphic shapes, textures, typography, and illustrative iconography—communicated within the practice of painting. The results are vibrant paintings and murals that are equal parts narrative, decorative and conceptual. Michael has exhibited work at Gallery Nucleus, The Scarab Club, KO Studio Gallery and will be a part of the upcoming Red Bull House of Art Residency.