Piotr Antoni Wiatrak, Masturbation

Graphic, 65.5x50.5 cm

Piotr Antoni Wiatrak (1956-2009r). Graduate of the Faculty of Painting and Graphic Arts at the Higher School of Fine Arts in Gdansk (studio of Professor Jozef Zablocki). He received his diploma in artistic graphics in 1985. The work crowning his period of study was considered one of the more interesting (National Diploma of the Year 1985). The artist participated in more than a dozen solo and group exhibitions in Poland, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Sweden, the United States, Canada and Japan. His last, posthumous exhibition took place in June 2010 in Sopot's Sierakowski Manor.



Most of Wiatrak's works, filled with deeper symbolism, particularly touch on man's personal experiences related to his suffering and moral rifts, so the boundary between the world of Good and the world of Evil becomes elusive. Landscapes, still lifes and religious paintings inspired by folk art appeared only in the last years of his life, when he created in Węgorzewo. The artist never limited himself to one technique. He was fond of using etching, aquatint, mezzotint, dry needle, many monotypes came out from his hand, as well as linocuts. He often used his own techniques. He constructed his working tools so that he could use any material that inspired him. He experimented. From natural materials such as stone and wood he created small installations in his atelier, which in time became the prototype of the form fixed on paper.



In 2001 Piotr Antoni Wiatrak and his family settled in Węgorzewo near Giżycko. Here, observing the Masurian nature, he drew inspiration from it for his further work. He fondly indulged in his second passion, which was photography. However, he did not manage to fully develop the latter fascination. He died on July 17, 2009 in the village of Wesołowo near Węgorzewo.