Henry Orlik

Henry Orlik was born in 1947 in Ankum, Germany, and relocated to England with his family in 1948. His father, Josef Orlik, a Polish soldier who had served with the Allied forces during World War II, and his Belarussian mother, Lucyna Orlik, settled in various Polish resettlement camps across Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds before making a home in Swindon, Wiltshire. This post-war period saw Swindon rapidly expand, offering a new beginning for displaced families like the Orliks.
In 1963, Orlik began his formal art education at Swindon Art College, where he studied for three years. He continued his artistic training at Gloucestershire College of Art in Cheltenham, completing his studies between 1969 and 1972.
==Career and Exhibitions==
===1970s===
Henry Orlik's career gained momentum in 1971 when his work was featured at the prestigious Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. In 1972, Orlik held a successful solo exhibition at the Surrealist Art Centre, Acoris, in London. During the early 1970s, he also participated in group exhibitions alongside notable Surrealist artists such as Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Chirico, Francis Picabia, and René Magritte.
===1980s===
Orlik spent the early 1980s in the United States, initially residing in Beverly Hills, California, before settling in New York City. His time in America deeply influenced his work, particularly through the monumental architecture of New York's skyscrapers and the Spanish-style villas of California. His work was exhibited at the 80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, in 1983. Producing artworks like Grand central, Beverly Hills and NY skyscrapers.
Orlik returned to London in 1985, where he became increasingly disillusioned with the art market, particularly art dealers, and chose to sell his works privately focusing solely on his artistic endeavors while avoiding public exhibitions.
===2022 and Onwards===
In 2022, Orlik suffered a stroke and faced significant personal challenges, including the loss of many of his artworks during a hospital stay. Despite these hardships, his work experienced a resurgence in 2024, largely due to the efforts of Grant Ford, a prominent art specialist from Antiques Road Show and former Senior Director of Sotheby’s. Ford, who founded Winsor Birch, rediscovered Orlik’s hidden artworks and curated "Henry Orlik’s Cosmos of Dreams," a pop-up exhibition at The Maas Gallery in London. The exhibition, held from 9 to 20 August 2024, was a resounding success; a sell out show before the official opening. A second exhibition was held in Marlborough at The Little Gallery, Winsor Birch, from 23 August to 6 September. The resurgence in interest was further fueled by an article in The Guardian titled "Rediscovering the Locked-Up Genius of Henry Orlik," the immense general interest and the international press brought significant attention to Orlik's work and legacy. 
==Artistic Style and Influence==
Orlik is recognized for his surrealist depictions of figures and monumental forms, characterized by thousands of tiny, spiraled brushstrokes, which he calls "excitations." These brushstrokes, inspired by quantum physics, create a sense of energy and motion in his work, with elements appearing to rearrange themselves on the canvas. His dream-like paintings explore the fluidity of time, space, memory, and experience, forming coherent yet surreal worlds that evoke a sense of familiarity and mystery.
The End of an Affair, 1970s, copyright Henry Orlik and Winsor Birch, Ltd.
Orlik's work has been influenced by Surrealism and Modern Art, drawing inspiration from artists such as René Magritte and Salvador Dalí. His work also reflects the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, delving into the subconscious and the symbolic.
==Notable Works :==
# Anarchist (1973) – Acrylic on canvas, 59 x 183 cm (23x72 in)
# Oasis – Acrylic on canvas, 71 x 86 cm (28x34 in)
# The End (1970s)
# Beauty and Sharks (1970s)
# Defeat Aeroplane Over LA (1980s) 
# Dream (1970s)
# The Parting (1970s)
# Cannon Balloons (1970s)
# Time (1970s)
# Mother Flight (1970s)
# End of an Affair (1970s)
# Green Stiletto (1970s)
# Grand central (1980s)
# NY skyscraper (1980s)
# Canon Balloons (1980s)
==Influences and Legacy==
Orlik's work has been analyzed for its psychological depth, with some psychotherapists using it to explore Jungian concepts. His style, though often labeled as surrealistic, is a unique exploration of his perceptions and experiences. Orlik's legacy lies in his ability to craft images that are both sensual and witty, offering a blend of surrealism with a deep sense of human emotion and experience.
==Quotes:==
* “They say I’m surrealistic, I just paint.” - Henry Orlik, 1972
Category:German people
Category:People from Anklam
Category:1947 births
Category:Surrealist artists