Polish Artist's First Solo Exhibition in Japan

Wilhelm Sasnal was born in Tarnów, Poland, in 1972. After graduating from the painting department at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, he continued his artistic practice while working as a magazine illustrator. Around 2000, he began to gain international attention and his works have since been exhibited widely both within and outside of Poland.

While Sasnal may give the impression of a career that began with painting, he also presents works across various media, including photography, drawing, video, and, as featured in this exhibition, 16mm film.

Reality Reflected Through Objectivity

The themes in his painting, which forms the core of his artistic output, range from photographs and everyday objects to his friends. His techniques also vary, encompassing both figurative and abstract styles. Despite being an exceptionally prolific artist who completes one painting in a few days, or sometimes even a single day, he avoids fixing his subjects or methods. Instead, he maintains a certain distance, approaching his subjects with an objective gaze. While he sometimes addresses political and social themes, prompting viewers to consider the issues inherent in contemporary society, his expression remains devoid of overt subjectivity, which can be considered Sasnal's unique artistic style.

Film, Music, and Painting

This approach is also evident in his 16mm film works shown here. Having spent his youth during Poland's significant transition from socialism to democracy, and continuing to create in Krakow today, his work is often discussed within the context of Eastern European art. However, his films reveal that his creative output extends beyond Poland to a broader geographical scope. Furthermore, works that capture everyday life and mundane objects, as well as videos incorporating text, serve as the source of inspiration for his paintings.

Many of his films possess documentary elements, capturing their subjects realistically while maintaining an objective perspective, much like his paintings. Additionally, the inherent nature of film allows for a significant influence of music, which Sasnal himself acknowledges as a major factor in his creative process. This imbues his work with a greater amplitude in distance from the subject matter, or perhaps gives form to the meaning inherent in the music itself.

This exhibition features three 16mm film works alongside paintings that the artist himself selected with his film pieces in mind. By viewing the films and paintings side-by-side, viewers can gain a more concrete understanding of the "cinematic framing" often noted in his painted works.