The first and apparently obvious observation concerning Tomasz Jędrzejko's work is the thesis that it refers to achievements of op-art. It is a mathematically-oriented, rooted in the world of rules, form of non-figurative art which uses the principles of perspective to reach the illusion of three-dimensional space, the impression of its depth, confuses with relativity of location of objects (in terms of front - back or foreground - background relations), uses repetitions of forms and colour contrasts (see: black - white opposition) in order to have the effect of vibration, undulation, circulation of motives, compositional and surface arrangements, creating the impression of shade - and - light contrast and other visual effects. As each artistic activity of this kind it is based on physiological features of human eye and originates in the experiments on the nature of light and colour.

The sophisticated activities are maintained by austerity of means of expression, their restriction to a narrow range of motives: lines, a variety of spherical forms, the lack of colour richness.

The artist's fascination with Japanese art can also be observed here, with its primacy of line over colour, flatness of forms, dependence on some definite rules. The titles reveal the sources of actual literary inspirations originating from this culture area. However the context of the artist's works is wider than just referring to a given historical (yet still attractive) artistic and cultural formations.

Tomasz Jędrzejko's creation is certainly something more. It is an example of a philosophical discourse taking a form of an artistic expression. It becomes a kind of ontological-epistemological reflection. It is an attempt to cover the knowledge concerning the shape of the world, time, space, logic of events, potential distortions and their influence on the subsequent sequences of the universe components.

Events the artist refers to belong to two categories and express a different extreme nature of the ways of describing the world, two systems of values. What is understood as continuous and linear encounters events which are spherical, circular and repetitive in nature. These two worlds, however, function beside each other, also within one plastic composition.

Each reality, each case have their own continuum having a tendency to deterioration or exhaustion. Out of nonentity it emerges and flourishes until it reaches its climax. Sometimes it comes back to form a totally new configuration. If there are any doubts here they rather refer to the nature of what happens after temporary silence, emptiness. In this sense the enquiries are probability reflections in their character.

Sometimes a form which came into existence presses the adjoining ones. Under the influence of this external pressure a given reality undergoes changes - is distorted. These distortions are obviously ruled by the algorithm assumed by the artist - a counterpart of necessities and laws existing in the world. As far as the image layer is concerned these deformations are expressed by shifts, thickening of components, disturbance of order, feeling of shortage. The juxtaposed or overlapping facts interfere, they are distorted e.g. by the impact of 'lateral flattening forces'.

At the same time the discourse goes on the surface concerning the nature of art and its fundamental relations. Open and closed, centripetal and centrifugal composition, making an impression of depth on the surface, evoking light and dark spheres, contrasts expressing contradiction and ambivalence, the meaning of black and white as the equivalents of the matter and the lack of it, their significance in forming the impression of development and deterioration - they are a set of issues which are the main point of interest of the artist and his art. This poetic is consistently maintained, both in the sphere of artistic graphics and in graphic design (posters, graphic design of magazines, portfolio).

The interests in philosophy logically transfer into the artistic interests, influence them, they naturally complete each other constituting the grounds for exploring and solving some problems.

Tomasz Jędrzejko's creation, though expressed by distinct artistic statements, paradoxically constitutes one fresco, still ready to be developed. It is the reality characterised by repetitive aspect of some events (regularity in cyclicity) or events having a similar structure, returning or disappearing. They actually form an infinite sequence, the reality of decentralised 'I', the world, which - as Jacques Derrida wrote - ' has its centre elsewhere'.

The postmodernist reflection perceives reality as a self-recording text, deprived of the beginning and teleological tendencies. It is a set of quotations, associations and text references difficult to catalogue, naturally appearing and disappearing.

Therefore the particular 'sequences' comprising Tomasz Jędrzejko's compositions allow a kind of continuity of the preceding arrangement and at any time they can be closed in a circle so that the process of circulation and repetitiveness of events could go on. A trial of synthesis gains the value of a graphic mathematical formula belonging to the sphere of non-representational art. Formalism, seemingly dead and dispassionate, gives a potentially credible promising answer to the issues of spiritual and philosophical nature.

Dariusz Leśnikowski

Transl. Elżbieta Rodzeń-Leśnikowska