Professor Piotr Jargusz

Joanna Latka was born in a country situated at the crossroads of the spirituality and emotionality of the East and the intellect of the West. In a bygone empire. In a country where, in the time of too many wars, poets turned to soldiers and musicians turned to politicians. In the country of Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Czeslaw Milosz and Zbigniew Herbert.

She was born just before the collapse of communism in the city of Krakow, which was a lucky coincidence. Krakow has always been a major centre for Polish art and culture. It is a place where the old and the new are relative notions. It is a place where the tombs of kings adjoin the banality of grim communist concrete blocks.

Krakow is also a major venue for important encounters.

Joanna Latka has been painting and drawing since she was a child. She’s been painting at home, she’s been painting on the floor, she’s been painting everywhere. She has maintained this spontaneous quality until today, in spite of a thorough artistic and pedagogical training, which sometimes is useful, but is also often nothing short of the taming.

It’s impossible to tame the imagination of Joanna Latka. Her works are a life diary and a variety of one of the trends of expressionism. They are also both an existentialist question and an existentialist answer.

Her works depict everyday life, but nevertheless are able to raise unusual reactions. Standing in front of them we can feel the authenticity of the transfusion of emotions made by the artist.

Joanna Latka, with her existentialist roots and romantic structure, is an exceptional artist. She is also a courageous person. Most fascinatingly for me, she finds her home in Portugal. Among the culture, tradition, art, history and the people of Portugal.

Her Portuguese adventure is certainly a very rewarding experience. I’m happy to wish her luck.

Professor Piotr Jargusz

Institute of Fine Art, Pedagogical University