Michael Polakowski

"My work focuses on the contrast between outdoor and indoor in order represent things within and without our control. Creating the paintings and drawings for this exhibition acted as a method for me to center myself within our chaotic and confined times, while escaping from the often overwhelming 'new normal.'

"Over the last few months, I drew inspiration from my impromptu home studio, photography from my day-to-day life, and found images from print magazines. I blended these subjects in scenes that simultaneously feel expansive yet confining, exposing the viewer to feelings of momentary calm within a broader context of an uncertain future." – 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.