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Max Podstolski strips (Exhibition pamphlet essay by Wayne Lorimer) "It must be from the heart" - David Larwill1 More than any other maxim, the one stated above (from Australian primitivist David Larwill) aptly describes the life and art of Max Podstolski. Podstolski's art comes from the soul and speaks to a universal, primitive nature that lies within all of us. Colourful, pictographic, iconic, and in stages almost childlike, Podstolski reaches down to the very core of our existence and delivers up art that is on the one hand very simple, yet at the same time extraordinarily multifaceted. Drawing upon symbolism from surrealists such as Klee and Miro, from iconography akin to Haring and Basquiat, and from primitive technique visually attuned with African and Aboriginal culture, Podstolski infuses and interweaves these influences to create something distinctive and personal. It is a powerful mix that makes his work almost instantly (perhaps even intuitively?) recognisable, while still allowing him to retain a freshness and vibrancy that is uniquely his own. Works such as The Sleep of Reason and Bachelor Stripped Bare are perfect examples of Podstolski's graphic talent. With just enough primitivist iconography juxtaposed with modern identity, this is Podstolski at his totemic best. The line is well defined, the colours zing off the paper, and the primitive cave dweller within all of us can again begin to make sense of the world through its signs and symbols. Birds, animals, demigods and other recognisable forms abound, mapping out a pictorial representation of humankind's most basic desires and fears. We want to fly, we want to commune with nature, and we want to be free. Yet we also want to dominate and place our mark upon the land. In essence, we want to have our cake and eat it too. These are paradoxes within the human psyche that we deal with every day. In the best of his works, Podstolski 'strips' away these layers to reveal the genetic make-up of our primeval selves, and in doing so, offers us a chance for redemption through art. Then again, with a work like Woof!, Podstolski highlights another maxim - "never take yourself too seriously". Art may have serious implications, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with it along the way. Podstolski has written that "... the outsider within me obstinately refused to aspire to the conventional idea of what an artist is or should be".2 In making this claim, he places himself squarely within the 'primitivist outsider artist' camp, aligned with such movements as CoBrA and Art Brut. The CoBrA group (1948-51) rejected surrealism's dogmatic approach to symbolism for a more direct expression of subconscious fantasy, with a style that could be described as spontaneous, instinctive, vital and colourful. They wanted to create fresh art with the help of a new international idiom that spoke a language everyone could understand. Max Podstolski remains true to this vision, and joins a growing number of self proclaimed 'outsider artists' whose work continues this tradition into the 21st century. Podstolski's art is a humanising manifestation of universal thoughts, fears and desires. With works like Pictographiti and Ornithosophy he presents us with a roadmap of ciphers and symbols that we must navigate through, forming our own connections and conclusions as we go. This enables us to discover our own unique associations and makes us bring something of ourselves to each individual viewing. Thus, CoBrA's manifesto is continued. The paintings in 'Strips' add another dimension to Podstolski's
oeuvre. They allow him the option of bouncing ideas back and
forth from one another, while still retaining a cohesive whole.
In Outblack he cleverly mixes a modernist grid structure
with a primitive aesthetic to incorporate the best of both worlds.
With clearly defined colour and line comes a quirky, spontaneous,
primal kind of childlike expression. With the decipherable geometry
and space comes the indecipherable symbology of myth and mystery.
Contradictions, associations and life experiences abound in work
that is at once instantly recognisable, yet at the same time
highly complex and layered. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Crawford, A., "David Larwill: the goblin force" Art & Australia vol. 38, no. 2, 2000, p. 266-273 2 Podstolski, M., "Steppin' out: insights of an outsider
artist spark-online.com January 2001 (no. 16)
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