Jan Sikora, “Aguonos”, aliejus, drobė, 50x60 cm, 1977 m. (p006)
Jan Sikora - painter, grafic, artist and sculptor was born in 24.06.1934 im Bydgoszcz (Poland) and studies from 1957 till 1963
at the Academy of Arts in Warsaw.
He has doctorate degree with "de qualite superieure" for the best illustration of Albert Camus - "Plague". After finishing his study at the Academy,
J. Sikora decided to work in two directions :illustration and painting.
He is author of illustration for popular-scientist books and also foor children's books. His painting works are displayed in art exhibitions in his country and countries abroad.
In 1985 he left Poland to live in Holland, were he is living in Capelle a/d IJssel near Rotterdam.
His works are regularly displayed in art exhibitions in major Dutch cities - Amersfoort, Amsterdam, Breda, Gouda, Groningen, Rotterdam, The Hague.
Jan Sikora has also made two large monuments for the Deaf Children Institute "Effatha" in The Hague and Deaf Institute "Guyot"
in Haren near Groningen.
The work of Jan Sikora reflects his own personal visions of unearthly alien lansdscapes, mixed with his perceptions of what our world would de like after a cataclysmic disaster. His own personaljourney through a sort of different space time continuum, where everything is dead and dacaying. In his work. he often combines gnarled roots or tree limbs, stones, ashes and other materials, taking their distorted forms and giving them new life and meaning by their placment in a totally strange environment. The dramatic atmosphere of his work is emphasized by the use of these forms with their detailed micro-structure, contrasted against the subdued use of lighting on the canvas together with subtele cloud forms or ethereal sphare like structures. This surrealistic work expresses the fears of an individual who is desparately seeking the meanings behind creation and existence, in a hostle and impersonal cosmos. Sometimes he returns to earth and portrays know places and landmarks in the aftermath of some cataclysmic event, where the grotesque distortions and transformations they have undergone the effect of despair and loneliness. In his later years he has taken many well know mythical Greek, Roman and Biblical motifs and incorporated them into his alien worlds, not only to show the importance of mythological ties in our modern society, but also emphasize the corruption and decadence of our over - commercilised "fast food" culture. At the same time he is also experimenting with a parallel abstract art form, where with the use of dramatic textures and forms, he is trying to express the conflict he feels within himself and his surroundings, while at the some time trying to reach some unifaing compromise of all these contradictory forces. Sometimes the artist takes inspirations from nature and he transforms it in full emotion art composition.
IMPORTANT EXHIBITIONS OF JAN SIKORA
1963 -International Biennial of Arts Graphic Brno (Czechoslovakia)
1965 - Ministry of Culture and Art- Warsaw - individual exhibition
1965 - House of Art Warsaw (Poland) - individual exhibition
1970 - House of Culture -Gdansk(Poland) - individual exhibition
1973 - National Deaf Instisution - Stockholm (Sweden) individual exhibition
1974 - Arthushouse Gdansk (Poland) - individual exhibition
1976 - Museum of Nicolaus Copernicus -Frombork (Poland) individual exhibition
1978 - National of Deaf Institution - Paris (France)
1979 - National of Deaf Institution -Rome (Italy) - individual exhibition
1979 - Castle Museum Kwidzyn (Poland) - - individual exhibition
1981 - National of Deaf Institution - Madrit(Spain)
1983 - SWDA -Amsterdam (The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
1984 -Gallery Nostalgia - Den Haag (The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
1985 - Gallery Op de muur- Amersfoord (The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
1985 - Monument for Institution of Deaf of H.D.Guyot Haaren (The Netherlands) disign and implementation
1986 - Provinces House - Hen Haag (The Netherlands)
1989 - Monument for School of Deaf Cildren Effatha Vorburg (The Netherlands) design and implementation
1990 - International Salon of Art Plastique Munich(Garmany)
1992 - International Salon of Art Plastique - Paris (France)
1994 - Exhibition of Art in City Hall Dortmund (Garmany)
1995 - Gallery The Bakkerey Rotterdam (The Netherlands)- individual exhibition
1995 - Exhibition of Kunstlobby in City Hall Capelle a/d Ijssel (The Netherlands)
1996 - City Art Gallery Gouda (The Netherlands)
1996 - Gallery Katendrecht Museum Rotterdam (The Netherlands) individual exhibition
1997 - Gallery Van Eijck Rotterdam(The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
1998 - Gallery Birkhoven Amersfoort (The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
1999 - Gallery Atelier MaJan de Bruin Gissenburg (The Netherlands) Individual exhibition
1999 - Ministry of Economy Den Haag (The Netherlands)
1999 - Gallery Art Arka- Breda (The Netherlands)
2000 - Exhibition Art Crossing Duisburg (Garmany)
2000 - Gallery Fabrik K-14 Oberhausen (Garmany)
2000 - Gallery De Tuyter Krimpen a/d Ijssel (The Netherlands) individual exhibition
2001 - Artschouw Waterschouwen-Haamstede (The Netherlands)
2001 - Gallery of City-Brille(The Netherlands)
2001 - Gallery Kralingen- Rotterdam(The Netherlands)
2001 - Museum Kunstruimte Heerenveen(The Netherlands) individual exhibition
2001 - Gallery of Port Hospital Rotterdam(The Nederlands) individual exhibition
2002 - Polish Art in City Gallery Brile (The Netherlands)
2002 -Kunst Net Werk-DCMRN Milieudinst Rijmond R-dam(The Netherlands)
2002 - City Hall - Capelle a/d Ijssel(The Netherlands) Individual retrospect exhibition
2003 - Exhibition Death and Life City Gallery-Brille(The Netherlands)
2003 - Gallery Gauguin Heeze(The Netherlands)
2004 - Gallery Thyade Rotterdam (The Netherlands)
2005 - Exhibition Between the sky and the earth- KosterijSint Jans Charch Gouda (The Netherlands) - individual exhibition
2006 - Kunst aan de Kade-Art on Boot-Rotterdam (The Netherlands
2007 - International Exhibition of Deaf Artists-Leonardo da Vinci Foundation Milan (Italy) First prize
2007 - Exhibition in Music School Capelle/d Ijssel (The Netherlands)
2008 - Paintings of the Trees- Exhibition Kunstlobby in City Hall Capelle a/d Ijssel(The Netherlands)
2008 - International Exhibition of Deaf Artists Leonardo da Vinci Foundation Rome (Italy) First prize
2008 - Art Auction of Foundation NDG Charity Eventfor School in Guatemala Rotterdam (The Netherlands)
2010 - Gallery Goda Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
2012 - Polish Artists in Capelle a/d Ijssel-Gallery First Claas Artists in Capellenhuis- Capelle a/d Ijssel(The Netherlands)
