THE ETERNAL LIGHT  

Light. The mysterious phenomenon that brings our world out of blackness and nothingness has always been present in art. The light calls color and warmth into being. This is a reason for which we wait merrily or anxiously until the beginning of the next day. It does not matter if it comes from the Sun, a lamp or a candle. The light does not choose the superior and inferior world. These distinctions come from another phenomenon, from the culture. Painting that depends so much on the light is one of the most important sources that both enforces and destroys our culture.

When watching Izabela Rudzka's painting we are amazed at its rare sophistication and richness of coloring. The thick layers of congealed paint create a surface that looks almost like a sculpture. It is a result of a long creative process. The warm and refined colors invite us to have a closer look. Taking a poetic inspiration we may say her painting is like a ripe fruit next to wild autumnal leaves.  

Izabela Rudzka's art benefits from the wide cultural and painting tradition. The artist's sensitiveness and attentiveness allows her to distance herself from the bustle of a daily life. She is not a slave to temporary moments. We immediately see her ability to profit from art experiences from the past as she is well rooted in tradition. It does not mean she is a follower or an epigone of other artists. It is just the opposite. The skill to make use of cultural resources to develop her own strong individuality and art is something we may admire in her art. The attractiveness of her painting is caused not only by some visual analogies to other artists but also by a closeness of attitudes and the model of thinking.  

There are a few traditions that the artist took an advantage of in her art successfully. The first moment in culture that left its mark on Rudzka's painting were the prehistoric drawings left by anonymous artists in the caves if Lascaux and Altamira. We guess the reason they had been created was a fearful enchantment of the world and an attempt to tame it. The visual response to the ancient drawings is Rudzka's picture "Interior and the lions". We see a huge surface of a window, and in the composition frame of the window there are running lions, maybe deer. The antinomy of the window-civilization and the animal-nature is clear. Probably the most important in the picture is the idea of time that becomes a conventional category offering apparent safety of our home. Our ancestors from the caves of Lascaux and Altamira saw the same sky and similar trees. Our fears, delights and desires are not so different. Perhaps it is enough to look out of the window carefully to forget the dictate of today.  

The manner the artist reaches light in her paintings refers to Rembrandt van Rijn. However this is not just a purely formal reference but also the similarity of attitudes. As with the Dutch master, Rudzka's paintings are also filled with layers resulting from the unhurried process of working. The characteristic slowness of painting somehow confirms her indifference to current but passing art fashions and opinions of critics. The artist is always honest and faithful to herself and her art. The results of the outlook that is full of distance are pictures "Interior with a horse" or "Orange lake". In both paintings the artist creates the world by light and rhomboidal forms that oppose the pieces of gorgeous colors.
The dense and harmonious world in "Moroccan landscape" is an example of attentive attitude. The nature, its river and mountains co-exist peacefully with the world of a man - the stains of ploughed land and the traces of human routes. The well-balanced and almost abstract picture brings order and calm. It allows us to develop a comfortable distance and acceptance of the reality and life.  

The warmth emanating from Rudzka's paintings reminds us of French art of Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard. We find the same affirmation and pleasure of tasting life. The praise of being, so rare in contemporary art, can be seen in "Balcony scene". The friendly attitude of the artist does not mean we do not find anxiety and troublesome situations in her pictures. Quite often we may watch paintings that touch fear, loneliness and alienation. The good example of these problems is "Sofa with a purple shadow" and "Chair and window".  

The art of Izabela Rudzka easily merges the past and the present, nature and civilization, joy and sadness. She is able to paint enchanting pictures that astonish us with their power and calmness. The artist exploits many areas to find a completely new quality. Her art offers us the unusual comfort to be delighted. There are not many pictures and artists that may offer such positive and affirmative things. 

Dariusz Glowacki