Krzysztof Wasko
Biography & Works
Krzysztof Wasko 2020 - Born July, 31 1970, Lomza, Poland. Krzysztof Wasko is highly recognized for his expressive, gestural, calligraphic, illustrative and graphic style paintings that pay tribute to current and historical personalities. He also adds mythological beings to his artwork. He wonderfully takes those real and fantastic characters to graphically tell us how great they became. But he goes beyond... always: he is so gifted that he can gracefully offer us also nature’s landscapes paintings and abstractions, besides his figurative and expressive art.
Most of his artistic pieces were created while the artist was living in Chicago. However, because of his Polish heritage, he is highly influenced by the work of European Masters such as Velázquez, Saura, Picasso and Goya. So his work is a contemporary remainder of a style developed by most post-war mayor artists.
Wasko has developed a fresh and unique style of his own. A characteristic style recognizable by the combination of palettes of black, white and bright colors, and expressive brushstrokes. The artist explores the heart of the subjects of traditional painting’s and drawing techniques, and reformulates his art to be included into a very selective group of revolutionary contemporary artists.
In his creative “prose” style, Wasko includes large-format paintings to engage portraits, nudes, animals, angels and a burlesque series and juxtaposes his personal brushes of sensuality and eroticism... all this while adding moments of his own experiences and growth to his art pieces.
Most of his artistic pieces were created while the artist was living in Chicago. However, because of his Polish heritage, he is highly influenced by the work of European Masters such as Velázquez, Saura, Picasso and Goya. So his work is a contemporary remainder of a style developed by most post-war mayor artists.
Wasko has developed a fresh and unique style of his own. A characteristic style recognizable by the combination of palettes of black, white and bright colors, and expressive brushstrokes. The artist explores the heart of the subjects of traditional painting’s and drawing techniques, and reformulates his art to be included into a very selective group of revolutionary contemporary artists.
In his creative “prose” style, Wasko includes large-format paintings to engage portraits, nudes, animals, angels and a burlesque series and juxtaposes his personal brushes of sensuality and eroticism... all this while adding moments of his own experiences and growth to his art pieces.
Krzysztof Wasko es un claro representante del nuevo pos expresionismo, basado en retratos y personajes célebres y otros menos conocidos o desconocidos. El artista de origen polaco ha pintado la mayoría de los mismos durante su estancia en Chicago. Su obra expresiva es fresca y directa, de colores contrastados, de rasgos rápidos, con ciertos detalles, pero, a la vez, elaborada con una dinámica natural de ordenar la composición de tal manera que expresa con iconismos, aniconismos, letras, colores, signos, texturas y ciertos detalles el mundo que complementa a sus personajes objeto de su interés. Ágil y dinámico, busca la expresión antes que la representación, indaga en la evidencia de la idea, para dar su visión de los mismos, al margen de la realidad, buscando consolidar su propia realidad, permitiéndose ciertas libertades como, por ejemplo, buscar detalles que a otros pueden parecer irrelevantes pero que para el artista polaco son fundamentales. También tiene obras dedicadas a animales, otras a momentos íntimos personales, asimismo pinturas diversas de temas variados, pero todas con un denominador común: se trata de creaciones de agilidad sorprendente, de trazo rápido pero trabajado que determinan que es un artista de depurada técnica pero de visión ágil que busca consolidar una composición marcada por la reformulación de un nuevo concepto expresionista. Es un pintor lleno de vida, alejado de lo denso, estando claramente comprometido con el momento actual. En este contexto una de las aportaciones que podríamos destacar es que humaniza a los personajes buscando aspectos de los mismos que nos acercan de manera clara y directa a su dinámica más evidente que es que antes de ser personajes son personas y como personas sujetos a lo cotidiano y normal, al margen de cualquier trascendencia.
Joan Lluís Montané
De la Asociación Internacional de Críticos de Arte (AICA)
Joan Lluís Montané
De la Asociación Internacional de Críticos de Arte (AICA)
KRZYSZTOF WASKO
Education:
MFA in Painting, National Academy of Fine Arts, Wroclaw, Poland
MFA Photography Program, Columbia College, Chicago, USA
College of Education, Lomza, Poland
National School of Performance and Music, Lomza, Poland
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2019 Center on Halsted, Chopin in the City, Chicago, IL
2017 Center on Halsted, Harlem Comes to Halsted, Chicago, IL
Altima Title, Life Converions, Chicago, IL
2016 Center on Halsted, Summer Rehersal, Chicago, IL
2015 Altima Title, Being a Christian Loubouin for 15 Min, Chicago, IL
2014 Muzeum Północno-Mazowieckie w Łomży, Retrospective, Lomza, Poland
2013 Rogers Park Studio Art Parlour, Chicago IL
2012 Loyola University, Project “O”, Chicago IL
Loyola University, Symphony of Color and Shape, Chicago IL
2011 Cota Street Sector Gallery, Mountain Cows, Santa Barbara, CA
Plum Goods, Madonna , Santa Barbara, CA
Plum Goods, Human Expressions, Santa Barbara, CA
2010 Galeria Wasko, Being Selective, Chicago, IL
Galeria Wasko, Chicago Here and Now, Chicago, IL
Galeria Wasko, Burlesque, Chicago, IL
2009 Atrium Gallery, Ultra Violet, Chicago, IL
Polish Museum of America, Judgment, Chicago, IL
Aldo Castillo Gallery, Life Riders, Chicago, IL
2008 The Artist Project, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
2007 Oak Park Area Arts Council Art Gallery, Abstract in Fall, IL
North-East Museum of Poland, Lomza, Poland
River Bank Lofts, Retrospective, Chicago, IL
Johnsonese Gallery, Faces of March, Chicago, IL
2006 Kasia Kay Art Projects Gallery, “6”, Chicago, IL
2005 Thomas Masters Gallery, Madonna, Chicago, IL
2004 Society For Arts, Still Life For Kevin, Chicago, IL
2002 Pilsen Art Gallery, Sexual, Chicago, IL
2001 Fine Arts Parlor, West Side Collaboration, Chicago, IL
1999 Gallery In Pasaz, Still Nature, Wroclaw, Poland
Great Beast Performance Gallery, Hidden Desires, Chicago, IL
1995 Carole Jones Gallery, Purity of Conception, Chicago, IL
1994 On the Odwach Parlor of Contemporary Art, Abstract Visions, Wroclaw, Poland
Accent Gallery of Contemporary Art, Introduction to Abstraction, Bialystok, Poland
On the Solny Square Gallery of Contemporary Art, Summer Critique, Wroclaw, Poland
The House of Creative Environments, Color and Shape, Lomza, Poland
Museum of Archeology, Sprits and Gods, Wroclaw, Poland
1993 Entropy Gallery, Internal Transformation. Wroclaw, Poland
Billard’s Club, New Vision, Lomza, Poland
Town Gallery, Young Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2016 Raw Artists, Natural Born Artists, Chicago, IL
2015 Raw Artists, Reveal, Chicago, IL
2008 Chicago History Museum, Catholic Chicago, IL
2007 Bridge Art Fair, Johnsonese Gallery, Chicago, IL
Scope Art New York 2007, Cinemascope, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
2006 Kasia Kay Art Projects Summer Show, Summer Show, Chicago, IL
Scope Art New York 2006, Cinemascope, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago IL
2005 Scope Art New York 2005, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
Scope Art New York 2005, Kasia Kay Art Projects, Miami, FL
2004 New Context Gallery, Eyes on Pilsen, Chicago, IL
New Context Gallery, Tasteful Art on Armitage, Chicago, IL
Global Art Salon A-1, Salsa In The Sky, Chicago IL
New Context Gallery, Art Show, Chicago IL
2001 The Chicago Athenaeum, The Children of Chernobyl Project, Chicago, IL
2000 Museum of Architecture and Design, Contemporary Polish Artists Schaumburg IL
1999 Northwestern University CCT Gallery, Chasing Shadows, Chicago, IL
1998 Contemporary Art Gallery, Selected Gallery Collection, Lomza, Poland
Osowiec Outdoor Gallery, Natural Scene, Osowiec, Poland
Officer’s Club Gallery, Second Annual National Painting Retreat, Lomza. Poland
1997 Northeast Poland Regional Museum, Horses in Art, Lomza Poland
1996 Hokin Annex In-The- Works Gallery, EXIT, Chicago, IL
Hilton Hotel, Tesol International Exhibition, Chicago, IL
1994 Eclectic Junction, Primitives, Chicago, IL
Del Bello Gallery, Gallery 788, Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto
National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’94, Wroclaw, Poland
1993 National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’93, Wroclaw, Poland
Contemporary Theater, Worship Book, Wroclaw, Poland
1992 The Club of Book and Press, Olesnica ’92, Olesnica, Poland
National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’92, Wroclaw, Poland
Publications:
Magazyn Plus, Chicago, IL, September 2006
New Art Examiner, Reviews, Chicago, IL, Febuary 2000
Osowiec ’98, Zup Libra Print, Lomza, Poland, 1998
Contacts, Lomza, Poland, 1996
Morning News, Happiness Lives, Bialystok, Poland, April 1994
Contemporary News: I don’t have to follow, Bialystok, Poland, April 1994
Lomza w Malarstwie, Zup Libra Print, Lomza, Poland 1994
Collections:
Chicago History Museum, Chicago, USA
Museum of Archeology, Wroclaw, Poland
Museum in Ciechanowic, Ciechanowiec, Poland
North-East Museum of Poland, Lomza, Poland
Museum in Nowogrod, Nowogrod, Poland
Polish Museum of America, Chicago
Education:
MFA in Painting, National Academy of Fine Arts, Wroclaw, Poland
MFA Photography Program, Columbia College, Chicago, USA
College of Education, Lomza, Poland
National School of Performance and Music, Lomza, Poland
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2019 Center on Halsted, Chopin in the City, Chicago, IL
2017 Center on Halsted, Harlem Comes to Halsted, Chicago, IL
Altima Title, Life Converions, Chicago, IL
2016 Center on Halsted, Summer Rehersal, Chicago, IL
2015 Altima Title, Being a Christian Loubouin for 15 Min, Chicago, IL
2014 Muzeum Północno-Mazowieckie w Łomży, Retrospective, Lomza, Poland
2013 Rogers Park Studio Art Parlour, Chicago IL
2012 Loyola University, Project “O”, Chicago IL
Loyola University, Symphony of Color and Shape, Chicago IL
2011 Cota Street Sector Gallery, Mountain Cows, Santa Barbara, CA
Plum Goods, Madonna , Santa Barbara, CA
Plum Goods, Human Expressions, Santa Barbara, CA
2010 Galeria Wasko, Being Selective, Chicago, IL
Galeria Wasko, Chicago Here and Now, Chicago, IL
Galeria Wasko, Burlesque, Chicago, IL
2009 Atrium Gallery, Ultra Violet, Chicago, IL
Polish Museum of America, Judgment, Chicago, IL
Aldo Castillo Gallery, Life Riders, Chicago, IL
2008 The Artist Project, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
2007 Oak Park Area Arts Council Art Gallery, Abstract in Fall, IL
North-East Museum of Poland, Lomza, Poland
River Bank Lofts, Retrospective, Chicago, IL
Johnsonese Gallery, Faces of March, Chicago, IL
2006 Kasia Kay Art Projects Gallery, “6”, Chicago, IL
2005 Thomas Masters Gallery, Madonna, Chicago, IL
2004 Society For Arts, Still Life For Kevin, Chicago, IL
2002 Pilsen Art Gallery, Sexual, Chicago, IL
2001 Fine Arts Parlor, West Side Collaboration, Chicago, IL
1999 Gallery In Pasaz, Still Nature, Wroclaw, Poland
Great Beast Performance Gallery, Hidden Desires, Chicago, IL
1995 Carole Jones Gallery, Purity of Conception, Chicago, IL
1994 On the Odwach Parlor of Contemporary Art, Abstract Visions, Wroclaw, Poland
Accent Gallery of Contemporary Art, Introduction to Abstraction, Bialystok, Poland
On the Solny Square Gallery of Contemporary Art, Summer Critique, Wroclaw, Poland
The House of Creative Environments, Color and Shape, Lomza, Poland
Museum of Archeology, Sprits and Gods, Wroclaw, Poland
1993 Entropy Gallery, Internal Transformation. Wroclaw, Poland
Billard’s Club, New Vision, Lomza, Poland
Town Gallery, Young Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2016 Raw Artists, Natural Born Artists, Chicago, IL
2015 Raw Artists, Reveal, Chicago, IL
2008 Chicago History Museum, Catholic Chicago, IL
2007 Bridge Art Fair, Johnsonese Gallery, Chicago, IL
Scope Art New York 2007, Cinemascope, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
2006 Kasia Kay Art Projects Summer Show, Summer Show, Chicago, IL
Scope Art New York 2006, Cinemascope, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago IL
2005 Scope Art New York 2005, Kasia Kay Art Projects, New York, NY
Scope Art New York 2005, Kasia Kay Art Projects, Miami, FL
2004 New Context Gallery, Eyes on Pilsen, Chicago, IL
New Context Gallery, Tasteful Art on Armitage, Chicago, IL
Global Art Salon A-1, Salsa In The Sky, Chicago IL
New Context Gallery, Art Show, Chicago IL
2001 The Chicago Athenaeum, The Children of Chernobyl Project, Chicago, IL
2000 Museum of Architecture and Design, Contemporary Polish Artists Schaumburg IL
1999 Northwestern University CCT Gallery, Chasing Shadows, Chicago, IL
1998 Contemporary Art Gallery, Selected Gallery Collection, Lomza, Poland
Osowiec Outdoor Gallery, Natural Scene, Osowiec, Poland
Officer’s Club Gallery, Second Annual National Painting Retreat, Lomza. Poland
1997 Northeast Poland Regional Museum, Horses in Art, Lomza Poland
1996 Hokin Annex In-The- Works Gallery, EXIT, Chicago, IL
Hilton Hotel, Tesol International Exhibition, Chicago, IL
1994 Eclectic Junction, Primitives, Chicago, IL
Del Bello Gallery, Gallery 788, Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto
National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’94, Wroclaw, Poland
1993 National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’93, Wroclaw, Poland
Contemporary Theater, Worship Book, Wroclaw, Poland
1992 The Club of Book and Press, Olesnica ’92, Olesnica, Poland
National Academy of Fine Arts, Work Show ’92, Wroclaw, Poland
Publications:
Magazyn Plus, Chicago, IL, September 2006
New Art Examiner, Reviews, Chicago, IL, Febuary 2000
Osowiec ’98, Zup Libra Print, Lomza, Poland, 1998
Contacts, Lomza, Poland, 1996
Morning News, Happiness Lives, Bialystok, Poland, April 1994
Contemporary News: I don’t have to follow, Bialystok, Poland, April 1994
Lomza w Malarstwie, Zup Libra Print, Lomza, Poland 1994
Collections:
Chicago History Museum, Chicago, USA
Museum of Archeology, Wroclaw, Poland
Museum in Ciechanowic, Ciechanowiec, Poland
North-East Museum of Poland, Lomza, Poland
Museum in Nowogrod, Nowogrod, Poland
Polish Museum of America, Chicago
