Dreaming of Summer Breeze
2020Single piece Signed Dated Titled
Default
32 x 23.62 x 1.57 in
Year
2020
Medium
Paintings
Reference
87381fc3
Technique: acrylic, gesso and soft pastel on canvas;
Year: 2020;
Prague-based artist Lena Zak mobilizes Abstract Expressionist inspired strategies to create bold, gestural compositions that she refers to as “representations of emotion on canvas.” Spontaneity and raw feeling are key to her process, which is about navigating chaos and uncertainty in an effort to find balance. Zak blends traditional paints with materials found on site—such as leaves, flowers, grass, or shredded textiles—in an effort to endow her paintings with a sense of a connection with the particular environment in which they were created. This work is part of the Early Autumn series where the organic strokes of paint were created with textiles. Though abstract, these works are rooted in observation of reality, and their layers of meaning are intimately connected to the material qualities of the work.
1994 , Czech Republic
Focusing on Abstract Expressionism, Lena Zak is an emerging Czech mixed-media painter known for her bold, gestural compositions. The purpose of painting is not just to express, but also to challenge herself. Greatly influenced by her current environment and the state of her mind, the paintings represent Zak’s intense emotions. Her process begins with a close observation of the world around her with a different set of eyes or by meditating and trying to be as present as possible. While creating the piece, she lets the spontaneous gestures take over, inspired by both what she saw and felt. Predominantly working with acrylic, she uses atypical materials found at places that left strong impressions on her. Instead of brushes, Zak utilizes leaves, textiles, flowers, wood, grass, and many more. Though abstract, her works are rooted in the observation of reality, and using those specific materials gives the paintings an “even stronger connection with the environment where they were created and which they essentially represent.” Lena Zak lives and works in Prague.
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