Sulzer Regional Library hosts a Polish American Heritage Month art exhibit in October, featuring the work of Robert J. Krawczyk.
Krawczyk is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area. Shortly after World War II, his family emigrated from Poland, where his father, an incredible craftsman, worked as a metal spinner.
Krawczyk is a professor in the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, focusing on digital craftsmanship. His research into digital methods in the disciplines of science, mathematics, architecture, art and technology is published and presented internationally in the form of prints, web pieces, sculptural and architectural studies presented in a body of work spanning over a hundred exhibitions and 37 conference papers.
Artist Statement
I explore architecturally based geometric patterns. My overall interest is to investigate methods which can develop forms that are in one sense predictable, but have the element to generate the unexpected; the unexpected in a predictable way. I have used a variety of methods to explore what is possible to generate with digital means and using simple rules or ones not so simple as found in chaos or cellular automata. Inspiration for geometric patterns can easily be found everywhere.
These particular pieces are reminiscent of "Wycinanki" (Vee-chee-non-kee), the Polish word for "paper-cut design." This traditional art form is created by cutting patterns in folded paper and then unfolding it. They exhibit horizontal or vertical axes symmetry or both, depending on the number of folds.
These series of pieces use digital methods to generate symmetric random patterns and use digital laser cutting systems to cut the wood patterns. Mirroring the pattern across the entire piece gives it the similar symmetry as found in Wycinankis.
