Field No 68 a 

Pole Nr 68 by Janusz Tarabuła is one of the paintings created due to the artist's inspiration with astronomy. In the 1970s, Tarabuła created works by spraying paint on the surface of a painting. The author himself describes the process of their creation as ‘attempts at limiting randomness.’ The work of Janusz Tarabuła stems first of all from direct personal experience. The assumption of understating the meanings of a work by means of a thoughtful balancing between the hidden meaning embedded deep in the meaning of an abstract sign, number, annexed object or its fragment is an inherent element of his works. Janusz Tarabuła was one of the founders of the Nowa Huta Group and has been a member of the Krakow Group since 1961. In 1974-1976, he taught at the Maria Skłodowska-Curie University in Lublin, and from 1982 onwards, he ran a painting studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. In 1996, he received the title of a professor. His works mostly focus on painting, drawing and graphic arts, as well as monumental works, actions in environments, frescoes and mosaics in sacral spaces.After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków in 1950-1956, Tarabuła discovered matter painting, which he enthusiastically embraced as an antidote to the colourism promoted at the time by his professors. He incorporated non-paining elements, such as sand, wood and metal, into his works. In the following decade, his work was dominated by raw compositions in subtle colours. In 1970 Tarabuła left for Italy, where he discovered conceptual art and arte povera. Under this influence, his paintings became even more minimalist. He experimented with collage, created prints using reprints from photographic film and screen printing. In the 1980s, he expanded his colour palette and returned to figuration. In the 1990s, the artist synthesised his artistic achievements, creating metaphorical compositions.

Marlena Chybowska-Butler