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Konrad Jarodzki, “Penetration XIII”, 1974 – optical abstraction and the illusion of depth
Konrad Jarodzki, “Penetration XIII”, 1974 is an abstract painting focused on the phenomenon of seeing and the illusion of space. It is one of the key works from the artist’s “Penetrations” series, in which this painter and architect explores the boundary between the flat surface of the canvas and the experience of three-dimensional depth. The work relates to the tradition of op art while remaining a highly individual visual experiment.
Description – a tunnel-like, inward–pulling space
“Penetration XIII” is executed in a cool, almost monochromatic range of greys and blues. The composition is built from softly twisted, rhythmic modules that resemble folds, funnels or tunnels. All lines and curves guide the viewer’s gaze towards an imaginary interior at the centre of the painting, where the tones darken into a mysterious, almost unreachable depth.
The surface appears to sink inwards. Instead of a conventional flat rectangle, we are confronted with a kind of visual opening that invites the eye to penetrate the painting – in accordance with the title of the series.
Light, shade and the illusion of three-dimensionality
Jarodzki relies on subtle chiaroscuro and very smooth tonal transitions. The softly curved forms fold like layers of matter, creating a convincing illusion of three-dimensional volume. The cold blues and greys, gradually darkening towards the centre, intensify the feeling of descending into depth.
The canvas thus loses its flatness: painting begins to function as an object with its own internal space. What we see is not a representation of any specific form, but a carefully constructed optical structure that projects an imagined space beyond the surface.
Abstraction that organises perception
In “Penetration XIII”, Konrad Jarodzki abandons figuration, gesture and narrative. There are no recognizable motifs – only a highly controlled organisation of the picture plane. The composition acts as a tool for structuring perception: it directs the eye, defines a path towards the centre and prevents it from resting on the surface alone.
This gives the work a meditative, almost architectural character. It can be read as a model of space and at the same time as an inner, mental landscape. Jarodzki creates an abstraction that does not describe the external world, but rather organises the act of looking itself.
“Penetration XIII” and the legacy of op art
Although the painting clearly refers to op art – art based on optical effects and illusions of depth – it remains a distinctly personal achievement. Unlike many classic examples of op art that rely on harsh black-and-white contrasts and aggressive geometric patterns, Jarodzki chooses:
- a muted, cool colour palette,
- fluid, organic transitions,
- a calm yet hypnotic rhythm of forms.
As a result, “Penetration XIII” does not assault the eye, but rather draws it into contemplation. It is a piece of illusionistic painting that redefines the notion of space in painting while maintaining a rigorous formal discipline.
Place within Konrad Jarodzki’s oeuvre
The works from the “Penetrations” series, including “Penetration XIII” (1974), belong to the most important achievements of Konrad Jarodzki. They merge his painterly sensitivity with his experience as an architect, resulting in works poised between painting, sculpture and object.
For collectors and institutions interested in Polish abstraction of the 1970s, op art and experiments with spatial illusion in painting, “Penetration XIII” is a crucial example of a canvas that transforms the flat surface into a virtual space.
Keywords: Konrad Jarodzki Penetration XIII, optical abstraction, Polish op art, illusionistic painting, Polish contemporary art, Jarodzki Penetrations.