Mikolaj Malesza Sold at Auction Prices

Mikołaj Malesza, Amazed, 2024

Polish artist of New Art Generation

From the Lost City series, 2024

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Leader, 2024

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Hill, 2024

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, From the series Journey with Alice, 2024

Polish artist of New Art Generation

MALESZA MIKOLAJ (1954-)

Wygnancy' (The homeless)

MALESZA MIKOLAJ (1954-)

Wedrowcy' (The Wanderer)

MALESZA MIKOLAJ (1954-)

Opiekun' (To take care of)

Mikołaj Malesza, From the series Journey with Alice II, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, From the series Journey with Alice I, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Woman and Man, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Remote, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Forgotten city, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Mermaids, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Gifts, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Suitors, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Art of Flying, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Trance, 2023

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Blue Angel, 2022

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Promenade, 2021

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Siren, 2021

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Spring, 2021

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Negotiator, 2021

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, From "Meeting" Series, 2020

Polish artist of New Art Generation

Mikołaj Malesza, Playing games, 2021

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays.

Mikołaj Malesza, Dream, 2021

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays.

Mikołaj Malesza, From "Travels With Alice" series, 2021

Mikołaj Malesza is an artist born in Poland.

Mikołaj Malesza, Morning, 2020

Artist born in Poland.

Mikołaj Malesza, Pegasus, 2020

48. Auction of New Art., Warsaw, Poland

Mikołaj Malesza, Talk, 2020

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Misterium, 2020

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Shadow, 2020

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Game

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Close-up, 2020

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikolaj Malesza (b. 1954), From the series "My birds", 2011

oil/canvas, 46 x 38 cm

Mikołaj Malesza, Out of Time, 2020

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, In Blue, 2019

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Returmed Ones, 2019

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Silence 1, 2018

Mikołaj Malesza is a painter, scenographer and a sculptor sometimes… The body of his work is very extensive and perhaps there is no need to introduce it as Mikołaj says (especially with regard to painting) that if someone does not understand a painting, is not able to experience it, it means that this painting is dead to him and no explanations can revive it. However, it is good to know certain things about Mikołaj in order to understand the essence of his work, especially of his paintings. Mikołaj Malesza was born in 1954 to an orthodox family in the little Polish town of Krynki. Until the age of fifteen, he lived on the edge of the Knyszyn Forest, in the village of Trzciano Nowe, situated thirty kilometres from Białystok (the largest city in north-eastern Poland). In order to get to school, he had to go a long distance through the forest. He recollects those journeys with pleasure... In order to get to an entrance exam in the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Supraśl, he had to ride 20 kilometres on a bike... In the school he used to draw, sculpt and make wooden stools. During five years of study in Supraśl, only once did he visit a puppet theatre. In 1974 he got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Faculty of Interior Architecture (Art Exhibition). A lecturer that he highly appreciated was Jacek Damięcki. Mikołaj liked his unconventional way of thinking. Mikołaj became his assistant and worked for two years at the Academy, which he left in the early 80s together with Jacek Damięcki. In this way, Mikołaj began his life-long adventure with painting, and soon later (in 1985) – the adventure with theatre (especially puppet theatre). Many years of intense work in those both fields resulted in a considerable body of work as well as numerous awards. The place where Mikołaj was born, where he spent his childhood and youth, influenced the way he perceives the world and made him develop a specific sensitivity. The influences of the unusual nature, orthodox religion, characteristic rural community and the world of animals can still be seen in his paintings (especially in the cycle “Return"). It also concerns his work as a scenographer. Also the cycle “Closer to Animals” develops in a natural way as it is based on the painter's rich experience with the world of nature, too. This is what Mikołaj says: “The world of my painting consists mainly of people, however, it also comprises birds, cats, pigs (both the real and imaginary ones) – a whole big menagerie. This is the world which lives in me, which I evoke, standing with fear in front of the painting's white surface. At the beginning of my way I was impatient, I wanted to show too much at once – as if the lens of my eye watched the reality in perspective. Now I try to watch it closely, thus I can see less, but deeper – or at least I hope so. Painting gives me the possibility of an intimate statement – or even confession. The world of human menagerie is filled with animals and birds with human faces. They hug, they love and they hate. They miss, they cry and they pass away…”. Both in painting and in theatre, Mikołaj is interested in such situations in which a man with a hideous face can find something very human in himself, so that we can say: this is a deeply unhappy person, but I understand him, I agree with him, he is close to me… In Mikołaj’s theatre, ugly puppets play good people. The cycle “Beyond the Word” is a response to various kinds of existential experience – it is dominated by the need of synthesis, metaphor and metaphysics. Mikołaj says that he is not a “painter of one painting”. He likes various inspirations and he uses them. In his works we can find references to naïve art, surrealism, realism and abstraction. The paintings in the cycle “Between Painting and Theatre” are mostly the result of his meetings with theatre. And there were a lot of such meetings – and they were very diverse as Mikołaj has designed scenography for around 70 theatre plays. Ewa Sokół-Malesza

Mikołaj Malesza, Transit, 2019

Mikolaj Malesza is a Polish artist, born in 1954. He studied interior architecture at the Fine Arts Academy in Warsaw and received a degree with honors in 1979. Painter and designer, Malesza's work stands out due to its poetic nostalgia, evolving in an imaginary world, just like fairy tales for children. The artist draws inspiration from naive art, surrealism and abstract, using simple shapes and shortcuts in his work. He has realized as lot of stagings with Ewa Sokol, to realize a large number of theater plays for children. Mikolaj Malesza's works have been presented in more than twenty individual exhibitions in Europe, U.S.A and Japan. He received several prizes and distinctions besides the second prize during the 37th fair of the National exhibition of visual arts in Radom in 1984 and the third prize during the 13thnational painting competition in 1987. He is the author of about 40 stagings, he was awarded at the International Festival of Visual Art ANIMACJE in 2002 in Bielsko-Biala and has been nominated three times as the winner of the Fringe First Theater Festival at Edinburgh

MIKOŁAJ MALESZA, FROM TRAVEL SERIES, 2018

Mikolaj Malesza (b. 1954) Untitled, 1985

oil on canvas