MARINA ISOLA
Published in D Magazine MAR 1996
[excerpt follows]SZAFRANSKI JUGGLES THREE CAREERS: Artist, director of Gray Matters Gallery, and engineer for a major pharmaceutical company, but he is thoroughly devoted to art. This year, Szafranski is finally receiving widespread recognition, with noted exhibitions nationwide.
Szafranski’s "paintings" are made of found materials such as strips of sponge, patterned tape, and fluff)’ marabou boas. woven into the classic modernist grid. He’s especially fond of the color red, which he associates with the body, sex, politics, and advertising logos.
In one piece entitled Small Desire, red velvette ribbon-the tacky Christmas wrapping material-is woven into a luscious, glowing, perfect crimson square. "The tightly woven surface is about control, but red is very explosive," says Szafranski.
Other works include light bulb sculptures, such as an intense, 100-plus light bulb chandelier created for local collectors Sonny Burt and Bob Butler, who have been buying Szafranski’s work since 1988. "Visitors always say they have never seen anything like it." says Burt. "We walked into his exhibition one evening, saw a piece, and decided we could not live without it, We’ve bought one a year ever since."