Death, conflagration, disaster are frequent elements of his artistic reality. The work presented refers to the process of creation but it can be noticed that during the painting process emotions and impressions go beyond the artist's initial vision and such painting could have a number of titles. Kukowski is a master of drawing, he works in a classical way, he paints by scumble. He does it very skillfully. There are symbolic elements in his work, which can trigger contradictory reactions of the audience.

[...] A contemporary Polish widely-known painter. Kukowski’s works are described as examples of surrealism or photosurrealism. He uses techniques of drawing and oil painting. His characteristic painting effect is "trompe l'oeil" – an illusion of three-dimensionality experienced by viewers. The artist is famous for his untypical process of documenting his painting activities by recording them in the form of animation.

Kukowski explores moral and social themes relating to death and elapsing time in his works. They are also a detailed study of human nature and their objective is to move the spectator deeply.

Critics divide Jarosław Kukowski’s artistic work into three phases: his early artistic works are marked by elaborate dramatic symbolism. Human figures are subject to deformation, whereas landscapes become surrealistic. It is a series called “non-dreams”. Another series entitled “frescos” is distinguished by a sense of time elapsing and dramatism in the form of frescos under which there are slightly revealed some other pictures. In the most recent paintings described as “undreams” the artist returned to surrealism, irony and provocation.

Joanna Kalinowska