TOMASZ PRYMON - DOPAMINUM

”Dopaminum” - Tomasz Prymon Dopamine – colloquially referred to as the hormone of love and happiness. Why is this organic chemical, synthetized and released by neurons in the brain and spinal cord, so important for man? It raises the level of our energy, controls the mood, motivates and, proverbially, makes us move mountains. What would dopamine’s activity look like, if you added a colour and shape to it? This interesting endeavour has been undertaken within the exhibition of “Dopaminum” in Sandhofer Gallery. Let us then have a closer look at the substance in its artistic dimension. It is dopamine that Tomasz Prymon devoted a series of pieces which has been created since 2016. In the exhibition we can mostly see the latest works of 2019, created in two techniques: oil painting on canvas and acrylic on paper. Such a long cycle of making the series opens up an excellent opportunity to observe the artist’s development. Tomasz is undoubtedly a colourist and it is the very colour scheme that remains the core subject matter of his work. You can plainly see his interest in the effect of using the prism. In many works we can observe subsequent rainbow colours, produced by the dispersion of white light. One can say the artist plays with colour. The tones are not even, also he applies the glaze in majority of his works. The paints are usually laid in one layer to reveal the background space underneath. This results in an interesting colour effect, we can observe the state of mixing up the shades and get the impression of shaping several surfaces. The earlier works of the painter are characterised by more linear composition, thus  more frequent implementation of horizontal layout. Although Tomasz uses a very wide variety of colour tones, the works of 2016 have more unified background, still plainly contrasting with the foreground. In the latest works, the set is more diagonal and the forms remain more irregular. The presentation is characterised by both harmony and its lack, like the dopamine that triggers our unexpected highs while its shortage causes low moods. The harmony can be seen in the colour transitions. The author demonstrates an excellent  sense and premeditated way in applying the colour scheme. Somehow a kind of distortion of this harmony – especially in the latest works – is to give irregular shapes to these fabulously colourful creations.   The artist uses broad brush strokes. The merging tones come out in abstract shapes. The singular forms give the impression of three-dimensionality, owing to the effect of bending, streamlining or breaking out – abrupt stopping the brush in one place and directing it to the other.   The whole effect of the works is also accomplished by their underneath layer. The artist does not cover the canvas thickly, so that the texture would break through from beneath. Also, subsequently, Prymon’s paintings of acrylic on paper give to the impression of the extra spaciousness. Through the use of diluted paint, the twisting sheet of paper obtains additional textural qualities. As oils on canvas, acrylics on paper are seemingly as interesting. The pieces represent the latest works of the artist. Prymon perfectly uses the quality of acrylic paint, reducing it  to an almost watercolour-like effect. This scheme adds up to the lightness and transparency of the works, which appear to resemble a delicate, subtle fabric on thin paper. One can use the metaphor of released dopamine which gives a great level of importance to the moment it is associated with, whereas Prymon’s works achieve greatness by its giant sizes. The titled work is 2 metres wide, while others reach over 1 metre. The pure expansion of colour. ”Dopaminum” by Tomasz Prymon is a bold fusion of colours. His creative process might be described in terms of energy, expression and intuition. There is no room for drawing with a ruler, there is this pure, passionate joy of creation instead. The author is neither going to bring us down, nor he encourages to look inside ourselves and analyse our psychological states. Alike the dopamine, he offers a quick surge of energy in his works. We invite to Sandhofer Gallery for a delicious hit of natural, legal high. :) Sandra Zagajna