BLINK // Winston Chmielinski: Suspended Figures

BLINK is a series of micro-posts that will focus on individual artists. Honing in on select work or works, each post will be a fleeting snapshot of art activity from around the world, one that hopefully inspires and prompts deeper investigations.
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Oil Painting, Figurative, Berlin-based artistWinston Chmielinski – “MY BEDROOM, THE THINGS INSIDE, THE STAIRS LEADING UP, AND THE HOUSE IT’S IN” (2013), oil on canvas, 48 by 48 inches; Image courtesy of Egbert Baqué Contemporary Art

Massive strokes of thick, oily color frame squirming lines of neon pink, blood red, heavy aqua blue, and acid green as a pair of human legs jut out in a moment of triumph. Where little moments constantly begin and nothing seems to end, the paintings of Winston Chmielinski pleasurably weave organic, fleshy figures into a swirling world of color.

Acrylic, Painting, Figurative, Berlin-based artistWinston Chmielinski – “EDGES” (2011), acrylic on canvas, 36 by 36 inches; Image courtesy of the artist

Chmielinski tames his seemingly chaotic works with a distinct care for detail, ordering the figurative elements in what––upon closer inspection––appears to be a methodically calculated and controlled composition. A Rothko-like sensitivity towards color, combining bright hues in a linear yet bleeding-over quality, provokes tingles of emotion, while cleverly worded titles such as Three Can Be So Vicious and Serving Up Some Back Pat and a Chubby Hand Shake hint at deeper layers of meaning.

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Additional Information

Winston Chmielinski (b. 1988 – Boston, MA) engages with painting through organic dissolutions and reconstitutions of the figure. Chmielinski graduated from New York University’s Gallatin School with degrees in philosophy and creative writing, and continued his studies at Peking University in Beijing and L’Institut Catholique in Paris. He currently lives and works in Berlin, Germany.

See more work by Winston Chmielinski: www.wi-ch.com

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Post by Sarah Gretsch in Berlin; Friday, Jul. 26, 2013.

 

This article is part of our BLINK series, which introduces the practices of artists around the world. To read more BLINK articles, click here.  

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