Born in 1994 in Białystok, Poland   

Resides and works in Brussels, Belgium 

Sebastian Szklarzewski's work revolves around personal and collective trauma and its manifestations in mental images through subconscious rumination. The images present themselves in the conscious mind, and then begins the work of trying to recreate something similar without losing the intensity of the thought and associated emotions. 'I develop my work mainly in my head, permuting different images that I have absorbed through my daily life. The bulk of the process is occurring without me knowing it until the image pops out.' 

Sebastian takes pictures, makes sketches, but also works with found footage from the internet. He proceeds to create canvas-sized collages before moving on to oil, where the medium dictates its own pace and the possibilities unfold through serendipitous exploration. The work is surreal, blurry, capable of being imprecise and spontaneous while remaining figurative. 'I prefer not to psychoanalyze my paintings too much, even if it's inevitable after living with them for some time. The act of showing them to strangers and talking about their perception gives the paintings a life of their own and provides insight into our common experience of life.' 

Sebastian Szklarzewski studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts before enrolling in the École nationale supérieure des arts visuels de La Cambre in the drawing department. His deep concern for the tragic events befalling people worldwide compelled him to pick up a camera, documenting terrorist attacks in Belgium and France, embarking on two journeys to the front line of the Ukrainian war, and spending time in a refugee camp. 'Following years of stifling my artistic expression due to a nihilistic outlook, I gradually resumed drawing. This initial step was succeeded by a period of learning oil painting and the development of my personal artistic endeavors.'