Artist Spotlight: Andrzej Szymczyk
/ Royal Society of Marine Artists
The Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2022 is now available to view online and will be open in the gallery from Thursday 22 September until Saturday 1 October.
The exhibition showcases Britain’s finest contemporary marine artists working across mediums and in a range of expert styles, from paintings to drawings to sculptures. We spoke to Andrzej Szymczyk ARSMA about his sculptures of marine animals - read on to learn more about his work:
A lot of your sculptures depict sea creatures, can you talk about what draws you to these animals?
I take inspiration from the surrounding world, childhood memories or impressions from my travels. I enjoy diving which gives me access to the fascinating underwater world, full of amazing and inspiring marine wildlife. Since early childhood, I felt a strong connection to nature. I began my long journey with aquaristics at primary school which broadened my knowledge, and my interest in exploring and discovering more about fascinating aquatic life grew. Now equipped with diving gear I explore corals of the seas.
How do you go about studying sea marine life?
Scuba diving is my primary way to observe and encounter marine life in its natural habitats. These are very personal and emotional events that often determine the direction of my artistic expression. I also study at home and in my sculpture studio, reading books, watching films and surfing the internet in search of more detailed information about creatures that I meet underwater.
'Seahorse Couple' (edition of 8), Andrzej Szymczyk ARSMA, 65 x 46 x 15cm, £9,000
Please would you describe your creative process from concept to completion for your piece ‘Seahorse Couple’?
The creative process of ‘Seahorse Couple’ developed over a long period of time. The Hippocampus species has been present in my art since 2015. The creative journey of designing the sculpture was initiated by an early childhood memory of a dried Seahorse specimen in my aunt’s bathroom. The story of how it came to Seychelles through Russia is explained in one of my sculptural videos on Instagram.
I studied and manipulated the sculptural form of the Seahorse over the years and finally arrived at this design. First I created a small pencil sketch of ‘Seahorse Couple’ and contemplated how to turn it into a sculpture. The answer came after my diving expedition in Madagascar in 2020, so the sculpture became a part of the 2020 Marine collection inspired by that expedition.
I created an armature and sculpted ‘Seahorse Couple’ in natural clay. The process of sculpting was joyful, it came naturally and effortlessly. Then I moulded the piece and cast a wax model for bronze casting. After refining details in wax and sectioning the piece for the casting process, the model was taken to the foundry. When the bronze elements came back to my studio I welded them back into their original shape. That took some time and effort due to the nature of the bronze casting process. I take pride in doing the artisan labour for my sculptures. I mould, waxwork, bronze-chaise and patina my pieces in my studio which ensures the quality of my works. There is a lot that can go wrong during the complex process of creating bronze. I personally resolve any issues so my sculptures are exactly as I originally intended them. I am with my sculptures every step of the creative way.
Your sculptures have a lot of life to them - how do you go about injecting character into your depictions of animals?
By immersing myself in the creature’s natural environment with my body present and directly exposed to interactions with the surroundings. This enables me to gain a different perspective which is very different to studying a subject in a laboratory, library or home-safe environment. I am trying to capture my impression rather than recreate an anatomically accurate representation. More like a poet focusing on emotions rather than a journalist focusing on dry facts. When I encounter animals I look into their eyes, trying to connect on a very basic level. I am trying to resonate with their state of mind.
'Devil Firefish' Andrzej Szymczyk ARSMA
Which sculptors or other artists have been your biggest inspirations?
My main source of inspiration is nature, but there are many sculptors and other artists whose work I admire. My all-time favourite sculptor is Auguste Rodin. I love how he translates his observations into a unique sculptural language of the human form. Another important artist for me is Wieslaw Haladaj. His early linocuts are a pivotal element of my new collection ‘Escape’ which will be released in Autumn 2022.
As an associate member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, how has this benefitted you as an artist?
I’m privileged to have been an associate member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists since 2020. The society is leading in appreciating and promoting the finest contemporary marine art and celebrating the sea environment that is part of Britain’s national heritage. The RMSA Annual Exhibition celebrates the works of the UK’s leading marine artists and it’s been an honour for me to have my sculptures selected for the show consecutively since 2019. The society gathers people with a common passion for the sea and art which resonates with my marine sculptures. The opening event is a great opportunity to meet and connect with society members, other artists and a like-minded audience.
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Andrzej and get a chance to see his sculpture amongst the rest of the astounding work that the RSMA Annual exhibition has to offer!