Espinasse31, a Milanese contemporary gallery and artist’s residency, is presenting a solo exhibition of the Polish artist Tomasz Kucharski. Monaco Life attended the exclusive opening of the exhibition at Le Meridien Beach Plaza last week and witnessed first-hand the impressive nature of his works.

Tomasz Kucharski, born in 1955, is an engineer and self-taught painter who lives and works in near Warsaw, Poland.

The main subject of his work is portrait. More specifically, he specialises in the image of women and men transformed by his imagination. Sometimes this is presented in a very abstract way, sometimes it is more realistic, but always with a hint of refection and irony.

“I think that the capacity of the word ‘portrait’ in my painting is very broad” says Tomasz. “The main series of portraits, which I have been carrying out for almost eight years, are ‘Officers’.

“These are the performances of soldiers of various armies, not necessarily existing in reality, but rather are creations of my imagination.”

The paintings reflect the artist’s interests in the army, uniforms and military and he says a new series of “officers” are still in the works.

Tomasz also paints still life and abstract art, using both oil and acrylic techniques.

“I like to put processed ready-made elements on the pictures, collage and photography,” he says. “I am still trying to introduce new techniques and methods of painting to my work. All this gives me the joy of painting – because that’s how I understand my passion.”

The works of Tomasz are inspired by the great painters of the beginning of the 20th Century, to which he adds his personal contemporary interpretation.

The exhibition is open to the public until the 1st of October. Espinasse31 will also be organising special events throughout the summer.