Pawel Kuczynski: analysis, explanation, meaning

The drawings of the Polish artist Pawel Kuczynski, without exaggeration, can explain everything in the world. A few years ago, SFG Media published an interview with Pawel, in which we tried to find out how he manages to accurately reflect modern phenomena and events that are happening around and affecting us. This interview came out before the coronavirus, the global lockdown and the start of the war in Ukraine. We decided to return to the works of Paul again in order to better understand and understand the terrible events of recent years.

Pawel Kuczynski: analysis

In order to analyze the works of Pawel Kuczynski, we have chosen the topics that the author refers to most often. Whether he considers them the most important in a global sense, or whether they are increasingly becoming relevant in their own right, we do not know. But their relevance does not seem to diminish from generation to generation.

Acquisition of knowledge

It's not just about education. We can get important knowledge on our own from books, communication with people. This is a lot of work, which the author often portrays as climbing a mountain or some kind of hard work. As a contrast, time on the Internet, “sitting” on social networks, Pawel shows as not as important an occupation as many people think, and not aimed at self-improvement. Looking at such an interpretation, we can assume that Pawel Kuczynski is an adherent of systemic, fundamental knowledge that ennobles a person and everything around him. With stubborn constancy, the author tells us that the word and knowledge can change many things in our lives.

Social inequality

In the 21st century, it is fashionable to talk about any equality. One cannot give priority to people of a certain race when choosing a candidate for a position; it is unacceptable to assume that certain nationalities live and work for the comfort of others; equality of women and men should not be discussed at all. Approximately such and similar statements we hear very often. But is that really the case? Answering this question, Pawel Kuczynski dedicated several illustrations to him. From them we see that not only the inequalities listed above stand side by side with us to this day, but many others are added to them.

Internet privacy

Online privacy and the safety of personal data have recently been included in the list of particularly important topics under the attention of government agencies. As in any field in which there is money, there are those who want to earn dishonestly. Collection of contact data for subsequent resale and distribution of intrusive advertising; using private photos for blackmail; theft of banking data to withdraw your personal and credit money. In these questions, Pawel Kuczynski sets himself the task, with the help of illustration, to clearly explain to people what it means to disregard the rules of safety on the Internet and how they can take advantage of it.

Gadget addiction

In response to the phrase “gadgets are harmful”, we will usually be told about the lack of any research and convincing evidence on this topic. This is true - today there is no exact data, based on which we can say that smartphones, tablets and computers are harmful to humans. And where do they come from? Technologies allow us to solve large and important tasks, everyday and strategic, domestic and global. And with this, in general, no one argues. When they say that addiction to gadgets can harm, they usually mean something else. For example, the loss of the ability to concentrate. Here's how it works. Scrolling through the Tiktok feed, we switch attention every few seconds. The brain does not have time to assimilate information, its process is interrupted and switched to another. For those who abuse it, it becomes difficult to read and learn. The list of such negative consequences is not small, it is replenished on the basis of observations of the younger generations who were born in the era of gadgets. But along with this, one cannot fail to mention the huge role of all the same gadgets in improving the quality of all the same education. Everything will be fine as long as there is a balance! You can’t replace everything around with gadgets — this is exactly what Pawel is talking about in the illustrations dedicated to this topic.

Disunity

One of the most noticeable phenomena of recent years has been the remoteness of people from each other. You can even hear the saying "society is no longer a society, but just people who seek not to let anyone into their personal space." What can be said for sure is that today a person has a choice - to be an active part of society or to prefer solitude. Pawel Kuczynski also notes this phenomenon in his works.

Rhetoric of politicians

Politicians often make public statements to achieve some benefit they need. This is not related to the actual actions that should follow after, but is only intended for a momentary effect. Such rhetoric is usually called garbage. Pawel Kuczynski illustrates such people, emphasizing that their words are worthless.

Propaganda

Favorite tool of all totalitarian regimes and one of the pillars of every dictator. In the modern world, propaganda penetrates everywhere where it can influence people and create the necessary picture of the world, justify any actions and cover up crimes. Deftly manipulating facts, history, propagandists create an image of the enemy, prove why everything is good in their country, and bad in the rest; and even if there is an alternative point of view, they will prove their case and claim the only correct and truthful presentation. Pawel Kuczynski speaks of propagandists as one of the most heinous phenomena that exist today in different states.

Ecology

Mankind leaves an irreparable trace of its presence on Earth, without thinking in what conditions the next generations will live. Every decade this trace is more noticeable and more tangible for all the inhabitants of the planet. Evidence of this is the friction of glaciers, the disappearance of some species of animals, poor air and water quality in some regions. Pawel Kuczynski does not bypass this topic and clearly shows that environmental issues need to be given more attention.

War

Any war is monstrous and senseless. Thousands of books have been written about its horrors and thousands of films have been made; the retellings of people who survived it are horrifying and seem to say, as a matter of course, to everyone: “This can never happen again!” But there are those who start wars, who support wars, and who profit from them. In 2022, people's lives still do not come first - wars are proof of this. A sharp condemnation of any military conflicts is expressed by Pawel Kuczynski in his works.

Substitution of concepts

If you are going to do something that will be clearly condemned by society, you need to come up with an excuse and call it something else. Without causing anger and irritation around. So there is a substitution of concepts in completely different areas - from ecology (there are no harmful emissions from the factory, because we planted five trees nearby) to the justification of war (if we had not attacked, they would have attacked us). Pawel Kuczynski is trying to draw our attention to such substitutions and illustrate the most striking examples of such deception.

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Pawel Kuczynski: explanation

We will try to explain the context of Pawel Kuczynski's works from the viewer's point of view. Why is this needed? To better understand the language of illustration, you need to be in the context of a particular field of knowledge, follow global events and understand social trends. We do not pretend to be a reliable transfer of the context of Paul's works, even perhaps somewhere we will be wrong. Our editors consider it important to listen to a talented artist who is not indifferent to what is happening in the world, and the problems that humanity is facing now, and that it will have to face in the future.

A poorly educated ignoramus will always find a "killer" argument that he heard on TV.

Women's career opportunities are sometimes directly related to sexual harassment.

The word can destroy any wall.

Revolutions change one dictator for another.

Satisfaction of momentary needs to the detriment of oneself.

In every dollar there is income from the war.

Education through coercion.

Poor people endure humiliation even when they receive the money they earn.

"Privacy" on the Internet.

A good book is as valuable as pearls at the bottom of the ocean. And just as rare.

Propaganda control.

The desire of the older generations to control the lives and activities of the young.

Smartphone addiction.

Uneven distribution of food in the world.

Sometimes words and promises are worth nothing.

Wealthy people have more opportunities to overcome life's adversities.

To gain knowledge, you need to work hard.

A fate destined from childhood.

Blind trust.

Aggression under the guise of benevolence.

Wars are fought at the expense of ordinary people.

Words that deceived one generation will deceive the next.

Not everyone's childhood is the same.

Restriction of access to information.

Global warming is destroying the inhabitants of the planet.

War provides an opportunity to earn.

Most public figures are worthless.

Reading books is vital.

Distortion and falsification of the problem.

New family values.

Infringement of the rights of older generations.

Books lift a person to the top.

The dream does not leave you even in the darkest times.

Pawel Kuczynski: meaning

Pawel Kuczynski is the author of a huge number of illustrations on completely different topics. The degree of understanding by the author of all the problems that concern people today is striking. The accuracy with which Paul illustrates complex processes, what meanings he lays in his work, is admirable. The meaning of such a big work can be only one - to visually show us from the side so that we think about our actions and their consequences.

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By Sergey Fomkin

2022

Pawel Kuczynski: analysis, explanation, meaning