Dualism of Mirella Rylewicz’s paintings.

           Colour gradations, optical illusion of three-dimensionality are distinctive features of Mirella Rylewicz’s paintings, in fact of last ten years, because they are regarded as the most important by the very artist. Her large-format canvases were created with great precision. Using a technique of acrylic painting, she achieves amazing effects of gradation of colours, of their shades, which contribute to three-dimensionality of these works. Geometric figures in a form of squares, circles, look like as if they were in motion. An optical illusion makes viewers think that they are in motion and that it quivers, vibrates, comes closer or recedes.

Therefore, Mirella Rylewicz’s paintings seems to be pure play of visual effects, having impact on emotions, not the intellect of the viewers. They are very decorative and focus around the play of light and colour. However, it is only one of the faces of this art. It is multidimensional and requires intellect involvement of the audience. The paintings created by the artist do not always present exactly the subject that we can see after first contact with them. Some associations sometimes turn out to be something completely different. For example, biological forms, looking like medusas, are sheets of fabric that cover objects that our eyes can’t see („Soon”), whereas hanging lamps look like spaceships („Illumination”).  The author attaches great significance to titles that she gives to her paintings. They are often surprising because it is contradictory with what we can see on paintings. A viewer may be surprised at what the artist „in fact” painted.

Liking for visual effects can also be seen in a moving cycle presenting the animals. They look like as if they were designed with the use of computer however pixels are in the shape of rectangle. Seemingly soulless, cyber creatures, have realistically painted eyes. They look piercingly at us, making us aware that they are in fact living creatures („The complexity of things1”).

The painter, by giving titles to paintings, allows to understand them in certain dimension, however, leaving us free in individual interpretations. These titles may either confirm viewers in their belief or astonish them, showing completely new meaning –  new trail or a few options. The forms painted by the artist are often confusing. Their shape often contradicts with the direction of lines („Ad-hoc”).

The role of a colour in these paintings is also unusual, based on contrasts. Peaceful range of colours of paintings and energetic, vibrating, even pulsating with shades of red, orange or blue. The background of a painting, usually bright, is contrasting in comparison with darker colours of geometric figures or abstract line combination.

A distinctive feature of Mirella Rylewicz’s paintings is dualism that allows not only to make various interpretations, but also introduces features of  spontaneity and expression into well-ordered world of op-art. Placing additional figures of expressively painted contours, with edges dripping with paint that is not dried, is spontaneous gesture of the artist. These elements, dynamically placed on perfectly prepared surfaces, remind about gesture of painting, their spontaneity contradicts planes that were previously painted. Spontaneity of gesture is accompanied by its slow precision („Process”).

Mirella Rylewicz’s paintings do not only give various options of interpretations, but allow to experience them from the perspective of only purely visual pleasure. Viewer’s perceptions is not limited in any way by explicitness of interpretation imposed by the author. Being inspired by eminent masters of world and local painting, she has developed their own individual style.

Anna Kania Saj
Format Art Magazine