Władysław Wałęga's transgressions

Abstract

Władysław Wałęga is one of the most famous representatives of art brut in Poland. The personality and life experiences of the painter from Krakow had a particularly strong impact on the expressive power of his work. In his paintings, hidden memories and tormenting images mixed up with dreams, and longings. For Wałęga, art became a way of expressing inner experiences and communicating with the world. It is also a therapy that relieves emotional tension and loneliness. The key to understanding his paintings is the artist’s biography, full of dramatic events and extreme experiences: childhood in orphanages, a juvenile detention center, years spent in prison cells, alcoholism and mental problems. Painting helped Wałęga to break free from hidden fears, organize the value system and rebuild the image of the world, which was falling apart many times in his life.