Meggy Bernhardt

She has always been an artist. She took up painting relatively recently, adding it to her range of creative activities. She continues to design furniture, applied art and interiors. She carries out her projects in her own workshop, which she has run with her husband, who is also an artist, for years. She is also involved in photography, graphic design and website design. She also worked in fashion for many years, making clothes in her own studio. Art is her destiny. Total creation — that’s what it’s all about for her. In her paintings, she leaves as much space as possible for the viewer’s imagination and for her own interpretation, because, as she often emphasises, as soon as she puts down her tools, she also becomes a viewer.

“A painting that is considered finished breaks the ‘umbilical cord’ and becomes independent, after which I can only experience it as an observer. I really like this moment of transition to the other side.’

Buy Meggy’s work

He paints on MDF boards, which he coats in structural resin. Even at this early stage, the work takes on a structure that will reveal its character later under the acrylic paint. The final effect is similar to a fresco. The works do not require framing; in fact, they should not be framed. Without a frame, the content extends beyond the supposed frame. He definitely prefers large formats of 100–300 cm.

“I create on impulse, driven by the need to express emotion.’ Each piece contains as much thought as expressive gesture. I find it difficult to define a single creative trend; I am closest to abstract expressionism. I move from monochromatic minimalism to an abundance of colours. I often add a tiny fragment of a photograph to the painting. The result is a collage that is not obvious at first glance. This small photograph provides context for the work, linking it to its source of inspiration”.

Meggy Bernhardt is both her family name and her artistic pseudonym. She uses it to distinguish her solo work from pieces created in collaboration with others. Although she rarely exhibits her work outside her studio and her own gallery, she has recently made up for lost time by exhibiting her work in Poland and abroad.

“I follow my own artistic path. I don’t have a degree. I have a portfolio — the Galery69 hotel, which I created from start to finish. Every piece of furniture and object is my work, or half my work. Galery69 is a concept, and my paintings complement that concept. The Galery69 building itself is a work of art. It has won many awards and received a lot of attention in Polish and international media. It has also become an entity independent of its creator. However, it has also become a kind of trap and a possessive patron, which is why it is difficult to imagine my work existing outside this environment.”