In his recent body of work, Peter A. Barelkowski is exploring the human experience
of loneliness and isolation. Creating a paradox between his joyful colours and darker
subject matter, his paintings attempt to play with our ideas around sadness. As a form of subtle escapism, the figures in his paintings are depicted in a one dimensional, cartoonish style - with almost grotesque undertones. By doing so, Barelkowski hopes to create the feel of another world. One that can be seen as fantastic, or merely underwater or underground - all places that exude the feel of a lost and isolated environment.
Adapting a visual language of grotesque and satire, Barelkowski effectively confronts
the rationalism of historical perspective with the absurdity of political powers that
repeatedly throws humanity into the haunting dance macabre of war and annihilation.
Although, deriving from specific historical events, Barelkowski’s works convey a universal message, uncomfortably actual when applied to contemporary history.