It has been exactly one year since you had an exhibition at HIDDEN. What have you been up to since then?

A lot has happened since the exhibition at HIDDEN Gallery, I feel that this time has lasted much longer. After the exhibition in the HIDDEN Gallery from the most important things, I had two individual exhibitions, one at Kronika Center for Contemporary Art in Poland and other at the artistic residency in Berlin PAS. There was also a group exhibition at the Musée royal de Mariemont.
This year has offered many ups and downs. These experiences shaped something new. Looking back on what happened, I have the impression that during the exhibition at HIDDEN gallery I was a lost boy. Currently, i'm still looking for myself, but as an adult man.

You have been in Berlin for a month. Did you paint there? How many paintings did you make and did Berlin change the aesthetics or content of your paintings?

During my artist residency in Berlin, I found a lot of inspiration. I spent most of my time visiting the Altes Museum, the Pergamon Museum, and cathedrals. I painted seven paintings during this period. In my free time, I hung out with new friends in Tiergarten, a park where we went boating, had breakfast on the grass, and drank Riesling. My stay in Berlin ended with an exhibition titled "Your Tears Taste Like Sugar," complemented by music created by Al Gu, an artist from Turkey.
This residency certainly opened me up to feeling sound and contemplating experimental music. It allowed me to unleash unconventional thinking and gave me the courage to try new things. During my time in Berlin, I also had the chance to see original Fayum portraits for the first time in my life, and I was moved to tears by the accompanying instrumental music.

You are planning to move to Spain for one year. Would you like to work each year in different countries? Or you think it's better to have one permanent place.

I am planning to move there this summer. I feel that this decision will allow me to discover myself even more. During my last six-month stay in Spain, I felt more authentic and open. Being back here in Poland, I don't feel that I can allow myself that freedom due to my sexual orientation and cultural norms. Therefore, Spain seems like an ideal place for reflection and intense creativity. It has previously brought more colors to my art, and I am curious to see what it will bring this time.

Is there a city you would love to move to?

It's a difficult choice as there are many places that I have visited so far that impacted my artistic pathway in different aspects and places that I feel connected to due to personal reasons.

Valencia: because I found happiness there
Amsterdam: because my friends are there
Varanasi: because it would be a challenge and would help me get out of my comfort zone
Belo Horizonte: because my Love comes from there
Katowice: the city where I currently live, has happiness, friends, its challenges; my Love is here too. However, the longer I stay here, I feel a stronger need to discover something new.

Your main studio is pretty minimal. Is it better for you to work in this environment?

Each studio has something unique about it. The first strongly motivates me to work, the place itself is inspiring because of the light and history. The second is where I live, and its advantage is that I can paint spontaneously without time constraints.

Painting is not like ordinary work, it is a random process that can strike at any time, whether it's in the morning or just before going to bed. In my main studio, there is minimalism, which allows me to cut off from stimuli and focus on what's inside me and my art and I treat it as my workplace. The studio in my apartment was created spontaneously due to the strong need to paint at unplanned late hours. At that time, light is not important, but every second of inspiration and determination counts.

You told me that in Poland there is a new thing called art branding. Can you explain it please and would you be part of it if someone asked you?

Art branding is the practice of using art to build a brand's image. Although it has been used in Poland before, it is now being utilized more consciously with an increasing number of brands choosing this type of creation. This approach typically involves strategies and actions aimed at creating and promoting the image of companies and institutions, particularly those from the premium sector, in collaboration with artistic individuals.

I collaborate with various brands that incorporate art into their creations. If our values align and art can reach a larger audience through such activities, I am keen to work with them. These collaborations are particularly significant to me as they help make art accessible to socially excluded individuals who might not otherwise have access. An example of one such collaboration is with the Always More Foundation, which supports women and people with female experiences. I am open to working on any project that promotes art.

Do you have new artistic influences in your work?

A while ago, I posted on Threads, expressing my exhaustion with managing social media accounts. Many artists commented on my post, saying that they face similar problems. The issue is not about creativity, but rather about the unconscious shift from being a creator to a consumer. As I scrolled through various social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, I found myself acquiring "collective experiences" - memories that were not part of my own life. These experiences manifested as impulsive needs or inspirations to paint a certain symbol, change the direction of my creation, or use certain symbols in my artwork. After some time, I even tried to anticipate current trends by analysing fashion brands, such as Yves Saint Laurent, that have a significant impact on art. I started using their colour schemes and elements that they interacted with, but it turned out to be a huge trap. The medium that I used to know myself started to distance me from my true essence. I think this experience was necessary because it made me stop appreciating my past works, which took away my sense of value based on my creativity. It ultimately led to an emotional disaster. Thanks to this, I started to work on finding other factors that can build my sense of value, stopped excessively motivating myself to sell, and also limited the use of social media to a minimum.

I am currently drawing my inspiration from Silesia, the place I come from. My relationship with this region can be quite complicated at times. I love this place dearly, but on the other hand, I have faced many adversities here. However, I see this current inspiration as a way of saying goodbye and exploring my past. I aim to showcase that this stage of my life, related to this place and the people around me, was crucial in shaping my personality and creativity. Silesia is known for its coal, which allowed my grandparents to afford a good life. Their stories bring us closer together and provide me with a new dimension of inspiration - a true and heartfelt one.

Do Christians buy your work?

Yes, it started since I created a controversial video on TikTok where I restored a figure of Mary while the song "Mary on the Cross" by Ghost played in the background. The video gained a lot of attention, and I gained many new followers. Later TikTok removed the song, so I replaced it with "There's This Girl" by Sign Crushes Motorist.

I want to make it clear that I never intend to offend anyone's religious values with my art. In fact, I made renovation of a church in the past and even sold one of my paintings to a priest who worked there. My art collectors come from a diverse range of religious backgrounds, including Christians, atheists, and people of other faiths. However, in the early stages of my career, I once traded one of my paintings for a gilded chalice that was used in black masses by the buyer.

Can you tell me more about your painting with the baptismal bowl?

This painting was created during my artistic crisis, which I mentioned earlier. It depicts a figure crying into a stone baptismal bowl. This is object from church named St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Katowice, where I was baptized. My dad told me that when my head was sprinkled with holy water, I cried like I was possessed.

What are your plans for this year to come?

This year, I am planning to visit Greece to spend more time with my grandfather, who needs care. I am also looking forward to my trip to Paris where I will meet a friend from Brazil who is coming there to spend his honeymoon. Additionally, I have plans for a double trip to Italy. Of course, I am also excited for my trip to Spain, which I hope will be an equally exciting new chapter in my life.

I would like to visit HIDDEN Gallery in Prague again and spend more time exploring art. However, I don't want to overdo the intensity of my travels, let's see what fate has planned! Traveling has always been one of my biggest dreams since I was a child. I try to take care of this dream to keep balance with myself. It makes me feel accepted and inspired as I develop as a person and an artist. Usually, I travel through tiring hours of bus rides and BlaBlaCars, but it's all worth it because I get to meet inspiring people and experience the life I've always dreamed of. So, besides making plans, I hope to find time for spontaneous trips as well.