Abandoned Churches

Through my paintings I have explored the effects of light in dark spaces. Specifically, this inquiry has led to my rendering and re-rendering of the interior spaces of various Gothic cathedrals and old parish churches throughout Europe as sunlight enters through narrow clerestory windows. Of particular interest has been how my initial impression of these spaces as forsaken and forlorn has been complicated and challenged: first by my understanding of how light enters the space and dispels the darkness; and then by my appreciation of how these structures are being renewed and the brightly colored agents of restoration – mark both the specific act of reconstruction and the general notion that these spaces still matter to people. I have sought to discover both the spiritual and historical implications of these spaces and their meaning for me. Having come of age under the Communist regime in Poland, I consider the renovation and renewal of these spaces a metaphor for my own journey from darkness to light.

"Free and sensuous but precise brushstrokes create a powerful spatial experience punctuated by intermittent washes of color. This focus on light and shadow reminded me of the taciturn black and white movies of Ingmar Bergman with a hint of the rococo. But what is more, I sensed a real grace, where Wezyk was able to evoke a deep longing” (…)
Hans Theys “All About Grace”, January 2008