Konrad Hamada

Konrad started painting at secondary school. That time he impressed people mainly by reliability of his drawings and mastery of his artistic skills as well as his inner calm and maturity depicted in his pictures. One may find up his taste, manneres from home and painter’s competence.

At present he appears as a mature, experienced creator with his rich artistic output. This exhibition titled, ‘Four seasons of the year’ brings new pictures, new formal solutions and encourages people to make comparisons between the previous and the present pictures. Previously, we could admire mainly staffage or architectural motives but now the theme of Konrad’s paintings is pure Nature. It is interesting that if we look longer and more carefully at his paintings we will notice not only the realistic effect of his work but also ‘the world’ in which Konrad deepens with his palette and discovers a mysterious, hidden sounds and content. The painter’s subjects have not only artistic and aesthetic values which are shown on the canvas. The painter, by the selection of his means, wants to achieve his intentional effect both emotional and intellectual. Konrad appears as a mature and fulfilled creator. His masterpieces are not only the affirmation of life, indication of cheerfulness, warmth and optimism but admiration and humility of the Masterpiece of Creation. It can be implied that he has pantheistic attitude to the Nature, looking for some order, constant and unimpaired values. Concentration, self- communion, seeking solitude, a bit of melancholy -these are the qualities, in spite of his mastery, which complete his talent. Moreover, they are the logical continuation of the first exhibition.

Despite artist’s young age, Konrad Hamada has got admirers who are impressed by the mood of his art, who look forward to a next exhibition of the painter from Krakow. Why has he deserved to be rewarded by them? His paintings are neither modern in form nor fashionable. Konrad advocates untypical in our times and conservative attitude based on tradition and atmosphere of the nineteenth century painting. The subjects of his pictures relate to poetical states of mind with lyrical colouring, sometimes coming back to the lost relationships with the by-gone generations. The lovers of painting who are looking for an affection, naturalness, charm, beauty, mystery and lure will be satisfied with this exhibition. Konrad Hamada does not want to rouse the spectator by an experiment and avant-garde, because he shows in his pictures the details which we usually do not notice in the everyday rush and mediumistic daze. He reminds us that we stopped cultivating the precious values and only in art they can survive.

The choice of subjects, genuineness of art skills, respect to the Nature allows to see him as the artist who is convinced of his outlook on life and artistic way. Along this way there is no rejection of tradition or the will to destroy everything even gothic cathedrals, or to shock people by ugliness or even offending them. It is a deep musing, humble meditation, the loveliness of the Nature, the beauty of the trees in a thick forest with sunshine through them, a misty morning over meadows.

I am convinced that this exhibition will appeal to the lovers of painting. Maybe it will recall the past holidays, places so ordinary but converted into a magic garden full of picturesque nooks by the gifted painter.

His painting allows us to be hopeful that Art, whose idea is to depict the beauty of our native land will survive among all fashions, styles denying everything that is beautiful, honest and restful. I think that it will survive.

A drawing has been Konrad’s passion since his childhood. His inquiring and diligence resulted in splendid oil pictures which depict landscapes. The romantic pictures in tints of soft brown and grey colours, extensive, nostalgic natural themes have gradually changed into more colourful. The palette has become brighter, more luminous and there appear splendid, clear green colours Also, we may notice the excellent effect of light that creates demoniac impression of forest backwoods. The harmonious colours depict the Nature as though it was hidden under the large magnifying glass, each straw, little branch or a twig or a streamlet are shown to a viewer in a considerate and mature way. Watching those simple themes, we can admire the beauty of the Nature which the author is fascinated by. Impressed by the interesting paintings of the young painter, we may expect more interesting and more spirited subjects depicted in different and more innovative way.