Samuel PAUCO, 2020 F 106 F 106

In his work, Samuel Paučo immerses us in a strange scenic landscape. There is nothing romantic about the vista depicted; on the contrary, it catapults us into an unexplored, deserted place that creates the impression of a completely alien plateau. Barren and harsh, yet simultaneously fascinating. As if on an expedition, viewers feel driven to explore the terrain and search for traces of life. Samuel Paučo integrates brightly colored elements into this strange geology. Looking like randomly placed artifacts, they stand out against the orange-brown nuances of the backdrop. The high horizon also conveys a sense of expansiveness. A unique atmosphere is conjured up by what appears to be a bright light in the sky, reflected in the rock formations. It is here that Paučo’s real interest ­­– an exploration of color, structure and materiality – becomes apparent; this constitutes the quintessence of his work, while the motif is secondary.

The artist works in series, engaging with the same theme over a lengthy period. Paučo creates references to nature, although he concentrates on the balance between classical painting and innovative combinations of color and structure, rather than on faithfully reproducing a landscape. Proceeding layer by layer as he applies the paint to the canvas, in some cases he tapes off certain areas to create a kind of collage. Through this process, he constantly explores the boundaries between abstraction and figuration. As viewers, we are ultimately left with a fascinating, multivalent landscape that, however, remains unspecified. Paučo creates it, but leaves it nameless. The title includes only a letter and a number, in this case “F106,” that reference the series and the ordering sytem in his catalog of works.

Samuel Paučo (Zvolen/SK 1986) studied at Brno University of Technology in the Faculty of Fine Arts. In 2021 he received a STRABAG Artaward International Recognition Award.