STANISLAS PIECHACZEK SOLO EXHIBITION

 

Opening Night | 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Friday 6th October
Location | Studio Gallery, 7D  Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley

Exhibition | 6th October - 20th October, 2023

After relocating from France ten years ago, Stanislas Piechaczek has quickly established a strong following in his new Australian home. This is no wonder, given the charming nature of his works which feature curious, life-sized characters in playful, yet ambiguous scenes. 

In his most recent solo exhibition, ‘Cocktails Before Noon’, each one of paintings can be read as an insight into his everyday life. Stanislas explains that these narratives are deeply personal and include some of the highs and lows that have come his way. He elaborates that these wide ranging experiences are referenced in the use of the word ‘cocktail’ which forms the title of the exhibition.

 

Some of the moments that Stanislas paints include a visit to the grocery store where a colourful figure pushes a trolley across a white tiled floor; images of dolphins float behind on a sky blue backdrop. In other works, characters walk towards a beaded entryway of a fish market or stand beside a bright yellow slide. Motifs such as dolphins, pineapples, fish, palm trees and rainbows are reflective of Stan’s coastal lifestyle in sunny Noosa. 

Despite being the central component of the work, these androgynous characters remain faceless and unresolved in form. Stanislas explains that this faceless representation allows him to focus on the spiritual and emotional qualities of the characters, rather than their facial features and expression. This enigmatic quality is also evident in the scenes themselves. Flat planes of colour are built up through layers of paint, contrasting one another via colour and surface texture. Texture is created through an array of brush stroke techniques, as well as a bodily application of paint observed through hand and finger impressions. By painting in this way, Stan creates a narrative that is partial and open to interpretation, encouraging the viewer to use their imagination.

‘Cocktails Before Noon’ is Stanislas’ third solo exhibition at Studio Gallery Group. The artist has exhibited widely across Australia, and internationally in France. His works have been acquired for private collections across the globe.