FINKELSTEIN

Concert By Invitation presents a selection of paintings, works on paper and ceramics from a diverse legacy Alexandra Obarzanek left behind.
Alexandra Obarzanek was born in Bialystok Poland at the end of the war in 1945. She grew up in Communistic Poland until the age of 13 and immigrated with her mother to Melbourne in 1958. Coming from a persecuted minority, Alexandra was private, almost concealed about her identity. A shy person in public, she observed how people performed their personalities to others – hence the theatrical nature of much of her work.
Obarzanek often incorporated photographs in her paintings, most of those photographs were of her family members and close friends. After the loss of all her extended family in the war (except for her mother) and a tough childhood in Communistic Poland, family and friends here in Australia were a high priority in her life. After the six-day war in 1967 she immigrated to Israel and lived and worked on KibbutzGal-On until 1974 when she returned to Melbourne. She enrolled at RMIT, studying alongside Peter Boot and Peter Westwood, completing a BA in fine arts followed by a masters in painting.

Obarzanek exhibited commercially in the eighties, however the male domination of the art industry at that time had a tremendous effect on her practice. Disappointed with the lack of support and appreciation had deepened her depression and later on led to the resentment of her painting practice.
Obarzanek’s engagement with ceramics began as a social and craft activity in the late 90’s and within a few short years replaced painting and became her dominant art form. Less dark and serious, her ceramics had a more decorative and playful style, adopting influences from more traditional craft and a tone of magic-realism optimism.

Obarzanek was well regarded as a teacher - in figurative drawing in the 80’s and later in ceramics at U3A in the 2010’s. When her husband passed away in 2019, and then shortly after COVID hit closing down U3A, she stopped practicing altogether. In a state of grief and isolation, her depression returned and her studio was completely untouched for almost 2 years until she passed away last June.

FINKELSTEIN GALLERY

Basement 2

3 Victoria Street

Windsor, 3181

Victoria

P: +61 431 411 908

E: ask@finkelsteingallery.com

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