Zdzisław Beksiński (1929-2005) was a Polish painter, photographer, sculptor and digital artist, specializing in the field of surreal utopian art. Beksiński’s formal background was in architecture, however he did not enjoy his chosen line of work. He drew inspiration from his site materials of plaster, metal and wire, and began using photography as an outlet, using light in particular to emphasize wrinkles, texture and desolate landscapes.
These types of imagery later appeared as subjects of Beksińskis paintings.
Beksiński’s most well known work comes from his “fantastic realism period,” where he created what some found to be disturbing images. His paintings vary in color quality (from highly saturated, bright colors to near monochromatic schemes), however the subject matter remains relatively consistent.
Subjects included surrealistic post-apocalyptic environments, as well as detailed scenes of decay or death, monolithic figures, and landscapes filled with skeletons and deformed bodies. As Beksiński described his work, “I wish to paint in such a manner as if I were photographing dreams.”
Beksiński’s highly detailed renderings provide the viewer a good deal to take in. Many of the textures and shapes he paints in his dreamlike images provide a feast for the eyes, combining skeletal forms, insects, and bones within the landscape.
There is a good deal of precision, delicacy and mastery of line, form and color within the paintings for this self taught artist. His style could be compared to that of HR Giger and Chet Zar in relation to the detail and handling of the paint.
While Beksiński continued producing art well into the later years of his life, it was cut short. In 2005, Beksiński was found dead in his flat in Warsaw with 17 stab wounds, murdered over money by his caretaker’s son.
