MICHAEL SLUSAKOWICZ
PROLONGED SENTENCES
"I believe in the purity of creativity in the moment and I follow it without questioning."
Michael Slusakowicz
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I first met Michael Slusakowicz in 2021 when he participated in our Summer Exhibition. The moment I encountered his work, I was utterly stunned. His art possessed a boldness that was both arresting and beautifully executed, a rare combination that immediately set him apart. Little did I know that this initial encounter would lead to an even deeper collaboration between Michael and our gallery, his solo exhibition in 2022, HUESOS ÍMPIOS, a showcase that marked the beginning of Michael's meteoric rise in the art world.
Since then, we have had the privilege of witnessing his career unfold and develop. Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to spend quality time with Michael, gaining insight into what drives him as an artist. His new collection for this latest exhibition, Prolonged Sentences, holds special significance for him, and it represents his most profound work to date.
Sitting in his garden, talking about the creative process behind Double Portrait of Clara, now on display at the National Portrait Gallery, I was struck by the profound humanity in his words. Clara, a close friend for years, had found herself at a crossroads, torn between two life paths. The portrait captures this internal struggle with such remarkable sensitivity—one version of Clara gently comforting the other, as if to show how essential self-compassion is when we’re facing tough decisions. It’s a powerful reflection of the trust we must place in ourselves when we stand at the edge of change.
Hester Baldwin, Managing Director, 2024
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Polish-born artist Michael Slusakowicz, a Camberwell College of Arts graduate with First Class honours in BA Painting, has showcased his work internationally, participating in art fairs across the globe.
Working mainly on canvas but currently exploring working with gessoed panels, Michael delves into paranormal mysteries, capturing fleeting moments like a flicker of light. His compositions seek to unveil the hidden aspects of contemporary society, probing for the pure core of humanity reflecting our deepest wants and desires.
In his still-life pieces, Michael blends two-dimensional ornate backgrounds with vivid ceramic pots, contrasting flatness and depth. His work explores colour and mood, drawing on the images that come to him during the creative process. Through his use of bright patterns and repeated motifs, he taps into a subconscious dream world that feels both familiar and distant from reality, encouraging viewers to find their own meanings through the interplay of tone and colour.
