Dimensions: 150 x 140 cm
Signature: signed on the reverse: PAULINA / STASIK / 2020
Provenance
Warsaw, private collection purchase at Raster Gallery
Exhibited
Exhibition: Warsaw, Raster Gallery, Paulina Stasik. Opiekunki, 12.12.2020–27.02.2021
The work Shamaness II (Shamaness II) from 2020 belongs to Paulina Stasik's key series, in which the artist explores motifs of spiritual care and guidance, referring to figures of mystical and cultural significance. The painting is part of the author's cosmogony of imagination, in which these figures, referred to as "Caregivers," act as guides between the physical world and the transcendent realm. The shaman of the title, through her androgynous and ethereal physicality, is a symbol of transformative power, the ability to heal and access to hidden knowledge. The painterly vision refers to archetypes and a renewed matriarchal mythology. Stasik's work focuses primarily on women, constantly questioning the way they are perceived in current pop culture.
The composition is an excellent example of Stasik's characteristic labor-intensive laser technique, where the careful application of thin, transparent layers of oil and acrylic paint builds up an extraordinary, vibrant color depth and subtle modeling of the figures. The painting's aura, maintained in a refined color palette, enhances the sense of intimacy and spiritual intensity.
