Joan Miro once said, "I try to apply colours like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music". Similarly, contemporary artist Josef Kursky's dynamic abstract oeuvre is crafted with thoughtfully applied charismatic shapes in a bold, spiritied colour palette so that the spectator may view the artwork in a thoroughly sensorial experience.
Josef Kursky's vivid canvases instantly capture attention, particularly due to the playful forms painted to appear entirely spontaneous yet deliberate. Mr. Kursky's style is akin to Surrealism, Expressionism and the automatic painting of Joan Miro. Mr. Kursky's primary colour choices, such as luminous cherry red, bold electric blue and bright yellow juxtaposed with black shapes. His shapes have the appearance of being cut-out of coloured construction paper and layered upon a slightly spackled colour field background. His shapes are slightly irregular versions of traditional geometric forms, such as triangles with sections missing, chunky curlicues and wavy rectangles, thus lending the artwork a frolicsome ambience. The viewer may behold the medley of shapes and interpret the abstract artwork as representative of scenes in life, such as a dancing girl wearing a full skirt, a map of a fantastical world or a cityscape. Mr. Kursky's paintings comment on the loneliness of the solitary worker and industrial elements. Yet inspiring the spectator to see the cheer and joy in the world and embrace a youthful outlook.
Ruthie Tucker Executive Director & Curator Amsterdam Whitney Gallery New York City
