In 1999, Ewa Gargulinska presented an exhibition titled “Mysteries: Paintings by Ewa Gargulinska” at London’s Royal National Theatre. This exhibition was part of the theatre’s initiative to integrate visual arts within its cultural offerings, providing artists with a platform to reach diverse audiences.
– National Theatre Catalogue
Gargulinska’s work is characterised by a consistent colour palette of deep blues, reds, and purples, offset by occasional bursts of acid yellow. This approach creates an active surface that reflects the living rather than the dead, warding off despair through the power of art.
While specific reviews and critical responses to this particular exhibition are not readily available, Gargulinska’s work has been noted for its exploration of melancholy and sorrow. Her paintings often delve into the ‘haunts of pain’ of the poet’s mourning, yet the active surface of the paintings bespeaks the living rather than the dead. The compassionate presence of the guardian spirit wards off ‘the eternal iron slumbers’ of despair, by the power of art ‘to purge our human thought of all its dread’, ‘where angels dwell beyond distress and fear.’
Overall, the 1999 exhibition at the Royal National Theatre represented a significant moment in Gargulinska’s career, aligning her artistic vision with one of London’s premier cultural venues and offering audiences an opportunity to experience her unique fusion of visual art and emotional expression.
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