Jowita Wyszomirska
By Mark Jenkins
May 4, 2017
“At first glance, Jowita Wyszomirska’s painting-drawings appear to be stormy abstractions in black and white, with touches of icy blue and earthy pink. So why do most of their titles include precise times and dates, as well as specific geographical information?
The answer is that the imagery in “Vanishing Point,” Wyszomirska’s show at Gallery Neptune & Brown, is derived from NASA satellite photos. Genuine squalls activate the flurries of black ink and paint, and actual melting glaciers inspire the watery blues. The Polish-born Baltimore artist is not a realist, but the phenomena she depicts are as certifiable as record-high temperatures and rising sea levels.
The centerpiece is an installation, 11 feet high and 17 feet wide, that simultaneously depicts two meteorological moments: one in the Yukon and the other above the Chesapeake Bay. Five large sheets of paper, marked in black and hung in a staggered arrangement, are complemented by black thread and pieces of burned felt. The 3-D elements are suspended in air, echoing the gestures made with paint and ink and enveloping the viewer in Wyszomirska’s vision. The vortex beckons, and in the long term, it might even be irresistible.”
Jowita Wyszomirska: Vanishing Point On view through May 13 at Gallery Neptune & Brown, 1530 14th St. NW. 202-986-1200. galleryneptunebrown.com.