Facie ad faciem I

Marek Basiul’s print, made using the linocut technique, is an abstract configuration of irregular forms and different textures filled with a tonally diverse raster. Symmetric, mirror-like relations between the parts are characteristic of the composition. These symmetries run through both the horizontal and vertical axes of the frame, which creates an effect similar to optical configurations of a kaleidoscopic image. Typical for Marek Basiul’s linocuts, intimacy and moderation in choosing forms is supplemented with a meticulous, precise relief surface, which is full of nuances. The wide range of means for characterizing surfaces is a distinguishable trait of the artist’s works. These include searching for major or slight differences, obvious or discreet repetitions, as well as defining the distance between surfaces (e.g. through the forms’ shades). [F. Pregowski]