Courage to start anew “New Day” by Dorota Łapa-Maik at Apteka Sztuki in Warsaw - review

It does not seem coincidental that the opening of Dorota Łapa-Maik’s exhibition “New Day” falls in the middle of May when spring has already manifested itself in full bloom. Intense colours, soft shapes and references to nature in her paintings perfectly correspond to the vivacity of spring landscapes and their symbolic promise of new beginnings. The meaning behind Łapa-Maik’s works properly reflects the feeling of an encounter with novelty; amidst the chaos and dynamics of change, hope and excitement clearly shine through.

“New Day” is Łapa-Maik’s first exhibition in Warsaw, which marks a new beginning in her artistic journey. She departs from the familiarity of small canvases, which dominated her works in the last three years, in order to return to much bigger formats (the exhibited works vary between 100-160cmx100-130cm). However, what connects them is not only their size but also their vibrancy, which immediately draws attention when entering the gallery. The “new day” for Łapa-Maik is dynamic and uplifting, bursting with possibilities. The main theme of the exhibition is not merely a praise of the renewal though; it also encompasses and embraces difficult emotions involved in the process of change. When asked about the idea of the exhibition, Łapa-Maik says:

“New Day is a manifesto for life – after the hard experiences of recent years, which were, and some – like the war – unfortunately are still experienced by many people, I am looking for salvation in an attempt to take a fresh look. I look for what pulls me out of the darkness and revitalises my heart. Lightness, space for spontaneous creation, freedom, fun and joy. I talk to my inner child, I walk among plants, dance and cultivate tenderness. I appreciate my delight as well as my anger, because it is an important signal and strength. A new day is a new hand, a new chance. Over and over again I choose creativity, colour, movement and flow against hard experiences and obstacles.”

It is this carelessness, trust and freedom that immediately captivate the viewer, allowing them to form a meaningful connection with the work of art. 

Creating through meditation

Dorota Łapa-Maik is a Cracow-based artist. In her work, she is inspired by the language of spontaneous abstraction and musical improvisation. Her interests include a holistic approach to the human being, working with the body, subconscious content and free expression. Apart from painting lessons that she took in the studio of PhD Tomasz Wełna, Łapa-Maik has explored other areas during her education. She graduated in Spanish philology from Jagiellonian University and attended daily studies at the Academy of Photography in Cracow. Following the path of a painter did not come easy to her as it required huge determination and self-denial. In this regard, Łapa-Maik compares her work as an artist with another crucial experience in her life – motherhood. 

Łapa-Maik’s paintings are dominated by vivid pinks, oranges, greens, and yellows, vibrating with energy. As the artist emphasises, her works are created in the act of improvisation, which allows internal impulses and emotions to flow freely. The central part of the exhibition, eye-catching even for the size of the canvases (160×120 cm), is a triptych “Rising and Setting of the Heart.” The three paintings perfectly capture the ambience focused on emotions, their fluidity, and changeability. The idea of sunset and sunrise juxtaposed with the flow of internal impulses and emotions encapsulates the complexity of inner life. Łapa-Maik’s take on the experience of novelty does not avoid dealing with difficult emotions despite the vibrancy of her palette.  

Indeed, the artist describes the exhibition in relation to the difficult events of recent years – the pandemics, inflation, the war in Ukraine and political struggles connected with increasing divisions and discrimination. Łapa-Maik emphasises the importance of having space for oneself and experiencing the world deeply and mindfully despite the chaos, instability and overstimulation. By alluding to such ubiquitous experiences, Łapa-Maik is able to form connections and provide solace through her art. The message of her works, however, is not about escaping but accepting of what is painful and still acting anew, finding curiosity and excitement regardless of the ongoing disorder. 

Through her works, she displays a lot of trust and acceptance of her own sensibility. The smoothness of brush strokes reflects the freedom and spontaneity of movement, which Łapa-Maik views as one of her most important tools. Mediation in motion is what helps her engage in the creative work and through achieving the state of mindfulness, she is able to succumb to carefree improvisation. Sometimes, she creates several paintings simultaneously, allowing her intuition to lead her through the process. In such a way, the paintings gain a particular connection, not being treated as separate units but rather as the common creations of one consciousness. As the artist claims, this process presents a value in itself, constituting a mindful practice for which she consistently makes space in her life when navigating a busy, chaotic and contradictory world. 

In tune with emotions

The works displayed at the “New Day” exhibition allow the viewer to lose themselves in the fluidity of lines, the indefinability of shapes and the intensity of colours. The paintings invite not only to follow the representations of the artist’s inner life but also to direct attention to one’s own. An encounter with Łapa-Maik’s paintings might produce the very same effect, drawing the viewer’s attention from the world of outside stimuli to their own emotionality. Her conscious and unrestrained approach to creation encourages one to turn to one’s own sensitivity in order to find the courage for embracing the challenges that come with new beginnings. 

Interestingly, the paintings also include themes taken from nature. For example, “Storm”, clearly inspired by the natural phenomenon, or “In My Kingdom”, which captures plants and greenery, emphasising the artist’s connection with the natural world. Similarly, the plant-like shapes can be found in the series of paintings called “Pleasures”. Thanks to these references, the exhibited paintings become connected by yet another layer. The worlds of emotions, sensibilities, dreams and passions are incorporated into the world of nature, emphasised as inherent parts of the human experience. Consequently, Łapa-Maik’s exhibition achieves particular cohesion and universality.

When describing her inspirations, the artist mentions the importance of works created by other female artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Joan Mitchell or Helen Frankenthaler. The emphasis on women’s contribution to art is not without significance when considering the links between Łapa-Maik’s paintings. The deep connection with the emotional sphere as well as warm and vibrant colours bring associations with feminine energy. Its presence appears as strong and empowering, encouraging to take action, but, simultaneously, revealing great sensitivity, which the artist describes as one of her prominent features. What is more, the clear references to nature, whose cultural image is that of a mother, seem especially meaningful. In her artistic statement, she also emphasises the importance of this role in her life by describing herself as a mother-artist.     

Dorota Łapa-Maik dedicates the exhibition to all people who are faced with difficult decisions, which perfectly corresponds to its main theme. After all, every crucial choice in life brings a little breakthrough and requires rearranging one’s life to adjust to the new reality. Similarly to the blooming nature, the vibrant energy of paintings inspires the viewer to welcome their personal new beginnings with courage and hope.

 The exhibition can be viewed at Apteka Sztuki in Warsaw until 15th June 2023.

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Sources:

“In Search of Lightness and Depth”, Dorota Łapa-Maik, ‘New Day’, catalogue to the exhibition, introduction by Małgorzata Marszałł.