Bernard Pietraga -Contemporary Painter
Contemporary painter. Fascinated from the beginning by a mathematical form in art. “Transcendental Painting” is a recognition of the fact that geometry – the basis of colour – is the essence of the work.
What makes his work special?
Bernard Pietraga’s work is strongly influenced by his many interests. The artist consciously uses different colours, his movements are an expression of the planned composition layout presented on the canvas. From the beginning he was fascinated by the mathematical form in art. In his paintings he creates an algorithmic world of matter/material inspired by his daily practice of digital programming. Contemporary paintings by the artist are based on transcendental figures situated in worlds that, like the Platonic “Allegory of the Cave”, represent the reality in which we live. His evocative colours give abstract colourism a contemplative, transcendent dimension. Pietraga’s compositions are based on the interaction of material and colour. The artist creates a new reality based on numbers, geometry and proportions.
In these paintings the artist has created a world that is in a constant state of movement, where the spiritual, the material and the transcendental are in constant interaction. The concept of painting as “Transcendental Painting” is a recognition of the fact that geometry – the basis of colour – is the essence of the work, and that the world of painting is a reflection of the world we live in. Bernard Pietraga’s abstract paintings are not just a reflection of the world, but a reflection of the world from a different perspective. Bernard Pietraga has exhibited in many countries.
The world we live in is not a perfect system. In fact, it is an imperfect one. We are surrounded by chaos and disorder. But if we look at it from a different perspective – as reflected in the works of Bernard Pietraga – everything takes on a whole new meaning. Pietraga’s paintings are the realisation of an idea. In fact, they are transcendental paintings. The artist creates a new reality based on numbers, geometry and proportions. His works embody the concept of painting as “Transcendental Painting” – a recognition that geometry – the basis of colour – is the essence of the work, and that the world of painting is a reflection of our world. Bernard Pietraga’s works are not just reflections of our world, but reflections of it from a different perspective.
Pietraga has exhibited his work in many countries
“For any kind of creative process to take place the artist must be in a special mood.”
The principle of Pietraga’s work is the use of “sacred geometry” – three basic geometric figures: the circle, the square and the triangle, as well as the golden section. The essence of Sacred Geometry lies in its proportions. It has a universal message. Pietraga uses this principle in his paintings.
The artist’s works are a direct reflection of the spiritual order – they are an expression of that which is above us and thus represent a kind of “divine world”. The concept behind these works is based on the belief in the harmony of all things in the universe and the belief that the world can be interpreted in mathematical terms – a truth perceived by man from different points of view.
Pietraga’s works also have a philosophical dimension. They are an expression of the world we live in, and at the same time they contain a clear message about it. The artist’s paintings illustrate the idea that there is nothing accidental in nature, that everything is governed by strict laws based on numbers.
The artist strives to create his works with a sense of beauty, but without trying to change the world or suggest a way of life – he simply tries to give us a reason to feel closer to the world in which we live. Bernard Pietraga has created a series of works based on mathematical proportions known since ancient times. The artist’s originality lies in his skilful use of these proportions to create images that appear to be simple geometric figures, but are in fact complex artistic compositions. Thus, the artist’s vision of the world is based on the recognition that “mathematical order is the essence of everything”, and he strives to create his works with a sense of beauty, but without trying to change the world or suggest a way of life – rather, he simply tries to give us a reason to feel closer to the world in which we live.
His work is based on simple geometric figures, which he uses as the basis for his paintings. At first glance they appear to be just circles, squares and triangles. In fact, these figures are transformed into a new, different – yet beautiful – form. They are transformed into a ‘new reality’: the world of the painting is a reflection of our world, but from a different perspective.
In addition to Pietraga’s paintings in the style of geometric abstraction, the artist also creates works in a different style. For example, there are paintings with figurative elements, which Pietraga created after his travels around the world. The artist wants to convey the beauty of life – and he does it in an original way.
Bernard Pietraga’s works are an expression of the world as it is – the “divine world” reflected in our everyday lives. The artist creates a new reality based on numbers, geometry and proportions. His works embody the concept of painting as “Transcendental Painting” – a recognition that geometry – the basis of colour – is the essence of the work, and that the world of painting is a reflection of our world.
The principle of Pietraga’s work is based on the use of sacred geometry: three basic geometric figures: the circle, the square and the triangle, as well as the golden section. The essence of sacred geometry is hidden in its proportions; it has a universal message. Pietraga uses this principle to create his paintings.
The artist’s works are an expression of what is above us, a kind of “divine world” created by man through his imagination and perception from different points of view. Pietraga believes that everyone has a creative potential and that everyone should be able to develop their creative potential to achieve inner harmony with others and with nature itself. In this way, art can contribute to personal peace between people and nations that have lived together for centuries, but still do not always understand each other, despite numerous attempts at mutual understanding, because of serious differences in both culture and religion.
The painter draws his inspiration from various sources: nature, music, poetry or the human voice itself… The works are carefully executed with great attention to detail; they are full of harmony and serenity… The paintings are quite large; they are mainly two-dimensional, but there are also some three-dimensional works…
The artist’s favourite subjects are vivid landscapes with water features such as lakes or rivers reflecting sunlight or moonlight (which inspire him deeply), while other paintings feature flowers (mostly roses). He likes to experiment with fine lines that create different shapes on the canvas, like waves of different sizes.
Achievements
Finalist of Global Art Awards 2018 – Painting Category.
Bernard Pietraga works can be found in Gallery 104 Broadway, NY and in a lot of arts private collections. His works can be found also in France, Netherlands, Poland, etc.
The Journey
Thanks to the active search for new inspirations, his works have become clearer. A determined search for a perfect form and a certain roughness led to a creativity with mathematical connotations. The developed ability to combine seemingly distant surfaces led to an original and unmistakable artistic effect, a sense of three-dimensionality.
He sees the act of creation as a need to express the everyday life that surrounds him in an abstract way. The unification of the present is one of the artist’s most frequent themes. In his practice he plays with geometric figures to create a new reality full of light and depth. As a result, his painting becomes a three-dimensional image.
A determined, consistent search for the perfect form and a kind of roughness has led to a creativity with mathematical connotations. Developed ability to combine seemingly distant spaces influenced the expressive artistic effect.
From the beginning, the painter has remained faithful to the traditional material of the painting itself, giving it new life.
Where to find artworks?
You can find and buy artworks through auctions listed on Pragaleria, Xanadu Gallery, POPART, News page and Gallery 104 NY store, Saatchi Art or direct contact via email.