'Nature for me is a matter of space, of a certain consistency of the world - it is earth and air, clouds, fire and water; it is the constant transformation of nature. man longs to open his eyes to the sun and sky, to inhale the scent of the earth. Because it is Nature that gives us the feeling that we exist. I thought there was a deposit in naturalness that could make my art alive.'
Jan Dobkowski for the Universal Review, VI 1986
The inspiration of nature manifests itself in Jan Dobkowski's work in series such as 'Pamukale', 'Australian Dream' and 'Himalayas'. 'Pamukale' is a visual record of the artist's journey to Pamukkale, Turkey - a place whose name can be translated as 'Cotton Fortress'. Its main attractions are the hot springs and white limestone deposits on the slope of the Cökelez mountain, which form fanciful dams, thresholds or rounded pools. These became the artist's direct inspiration - Dobkowski captured the irregularity of the 'cotton fortress' with masterful sensitivity. Using blue lines, the artist transferred the organic forms of Pamukkala onto the canvas, creating an ephemeral landscape of hot pools.