During this year’s Warsaw Home & Contract trade fair, taking place on October 22–25, 2025, we warmly invite you to visit the Galeria Wnętrza Universon stand. It is a unique space where passion for design seamlessly meets a modern approach to interior arrangements and finishing materials. Join us at stand F5.07a to discover inspiring solutions, the latest trends, and innovative ideas that set the direction for contemporary interior design, creating spaces that combine both aesthetics and functionality.

We talk with Patrycja Dańków – artist, painter, and art therapist, founder of the UniversonArt Gallery and pioneer of “living paintings” in intuitive painting. Her work is a fusion of painting, performance, and emotion – the artworks are born before the audience’s eyes, and each spectacle becomes a unique experience. Patrycja is a finalist of the prestigious Bielska Jesień 2021 competition and a participant in the international #lodz600 project. Her works can be admired, among others, in the Palace of Culture and Science. She speaks with us about art, intuition, and the power of imagery.

INTERVIEW

You are the pioneer of “living paintings” in intuitive painting. How did the idea of creating art in the form of performance come about, and what fascinates you the most in this process? “The idea was born very naturally – out of the need to combine painting with movement, emotion, and the presence of another person,” says Patrycja Dańków. “I always felt that a painting does not end on the canvas, but carries within it an energy that is worth showing in the process of creation. When I paint on stage, the artwork becomes a kind of spectacle – a living story in which the audience sees not only the final result but also the entire journey of creation.”She emphasizes that the most captivating moment is when the work comes alive: “What fascinates me most is that moment when art begins to breathe – when the movement of the hand, intuition, and emotions intertwine into one rhythm, and the painting becomes something more than just a visual form. It is a shared experience – I paint, but the viewers feel and co-create the atmosphere. It is precisely in this dialogue between the artist, the painting, and the audience that magic is born, a magic that cannot be repeated or recreated.”

In your painting performances, the audience witnesses the creation of a work live. How does the public react to these performances, and in what way does the presence of the audience influence your art?

“Each performance is like a meeting of energies – mine and the audience’s. People react in very different ways, because each person brings their own sensitivity and their own story. Some, immediately after the performance, want to buy the painting because they feel that something unique has been created, something that resonates with their inner world. But there are also people who, watching my process, say: I could do that too. I especially remember one girl. She said it out loud, and I replied: That’s wonderful, go ahead and try! She went home, bought paints and a canvas. And indeed – she spent many hours trying to paint, but what appeared on the canvas was, as she herself put it, just a mess. Why? Because the first paintings are far from a masterpiece. They are rather first attempts, the first steps in cleansing the subconscious mind. One has to allow oneself chaos, ugliness, honesty with oneself, in order to reach the place where the painting begins to breathe with its own life. In this sense, the presence of the public is like a mirror – it reflects not only the painting I create but also the viewer’s inner process. Everyone reacts in their own way, but it is precisely in this diversity that beauty lies. For me, it is proof that art is alive and touches people on different levels – it inspires, provokes, and sometimes forces a confrontation with oneself.”

You are also an art therapist. How do you combine intuitive painting with therapeutic work, and what role can art play in a person’s emotional development?

“In my therapeutic work, I combine different forms of expression: writing, painting, and working with the body. These are brilliant and very effective tools because they allow us to enter into a direct dialogue with the subconscious mind. And it is the subconscious that largely determines how we react to the world, how we build relationships, and how we deal with emotions. Intuitive painting works like a mirror – on the canvas, we unconsciously record our experiences, traumas, desires, or tensions. Very often, what we cannot express in words finds its outlet in colors and shapes. It is similar with movement – when we allow ourselves freedom, the body ‘tells’ stories that the conscious mind does not let through. These are not just poetic metaphors – there is a wealth of scientific research that confirms this process. The American Psychological Association indicates that art therapy significantly reduces stress and supports emotional regulation. Research by Professor Cathy Malchiodi – one of the leading scholars in art therapy – shows that art activates those areas of the brain responsible for emotional memory, allowing us to access content we are not aware of on a daily basis. Meanwhile, neuroscientists such as Dr. Bruce Perry emphasize that creative expression helps integrate the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which promotes inner balance and a sense of coherence. That is why, for me, intuitive painting and art therapy are not just art for art’s sake, but living tools of development. Through them, a person can encounter their own emotions in a safe, creative, and healing way.”

Your work has been presented, among others, in the Palace of Culture and Science, as well as alongside the works of Edward Dwurnik. What do such moments mean to you, and which experiences do you consider the most important in your artistic journey?

“The Palace of Culture and Science is a very special place for me, because it is connected not only with the presence of my paintings, but also with my student past. It was there that I studied social psychology and coaching, and later returning to this place with my own artworks had a symbolic meaning for me – like closing a certain circle. It was also an opportunity to thank the university staff who supported me in my intellectual and emotional growth. My paintings became a form of gratitude – a gift for their contribution to my journey. The story connected with Edward Dwurnik and his collector, on the other hand, showed me how important relationships are, and how those small, often invisible moments can change our reality. When I was preparing my first project in Warsaw, I called several companies in Poland asking for support. Ultimately, it was Edward Kudyba – Dwurnik’s collector and owner of the Artram gallery – who believed in me and agreed to finance the project. Thanks to that, I was able to realize it in cooperation with the Julian Cochran Foundation, which also saw the value in connecting different fields of art. This experience made me realize something important – that art is not created in a vacuum, but in the meeting of one human being with another. When there is openness, trust, and willingness to cooperate, beautiful and valuable things can happen for all participants in the process. For me, it is precisely these moments – the meetings, conversations, gestures of support – that are the most important points on my artistic map.”

Warsaw Home Furniture is an interior design fair. In your opinion, how can art – especially intuitive painting – transform home spaces and influence the well-being of their residents?

“Art is not just a decoration on the wall – it is an energy that enters a space and co-creates the atmosphere of a home. Intuitive painting carries a special power, because it is created from the level of emotions, feelings, and subconscious content. This makes a painting act like a living presence – it radiates energy that subtly influences the inhabitants. Research described in the book The Brain Under the Influence of Art by Professor Erica Mandalas shows that contact with art activates the same areas of the brain responsible for emotions, empathy, and the sense of happiness. In other words – a painting can affect our mood, reduce stress, and even support the body’s regenerative processes. That is why, when we look at a work of art, we sometimes feel peace, relief, or, at other times, excitement and a surge of energy. In my art therapy work, I often paint a picture for the patient at the end of the process. This artwork becomes not only a keepsake for them but also a symbolic guide – something they take with them on the next journey of their life. In a metaphorical sense, the painting works on their behalf, supporting them in moments of doubt and reminding them of the strength they discovered within themselves during therapy. That is why I believe that well-chosen artworks can make a home space not only beautiful but also full of harmony and support – like a quiet companion that nurtures growth, rest, and inner balance for its residents.”

You are also a finalist of prestigious competitions and a participant in international projects. How have these experiences influenced your artistic development?

“Bielska Jesień 2021 was a huge distinction for me – my painting made it to the finals out of more than three thousand works, and in the end, two of my pieces were among just over one hundred selected. That in itself is a great success. But there is also a funny story attached to it. When I arrived at the gala, it turned that my painting had been hung… upside down. For some, this could have been seen as a mistake, but for me, it was a beautiful sign. I thought: if someo out ne believed that the painting makes sense this way, it means that it truly lives and has value. This experience made me realize something I deeply believe in: abstract painting does not have one obligatory direction. Abstraction is an open language that allows each viewer to find their own story and their own interpretation within it. A painting can be read in many ways because it does not impose a single correct perspective – on the contrary, it invites dialogue and the search for meaning. For me, that moment – with my Sheep-Bull with its head down – became a metaphor for the idea that art truly begins to live only when it slips out of the author’s control and starts speaking to the viewer on its own terms. And this is the magic of intuitive and abstract painting. As for the next steps – I must admit that I am still waiting for the right moment to submit my works to a very special art gallery. And although that moment is approaching… something else always comes up to do first. It’s a bit like with a postponed flight – the suitcase is packed, but I’m still making tea, watering the plants, and checking if I’ve locked the door. (laughs) Perhaps this is also part of the process – to give the paintings time to mature for that journey.”

Finally – what are your upcoming artistic plans? Are there any new projects ahead that will once again combine painting with other elements?

“My whole life is a process – an endless cycle in which sometimes I search for inspiration and let myself be guided by intuition, and at other times I pause to realize and reflect on what has already happened. Art for me is like breathing – the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling that constantly accompanies my path. At present, I feel increasingly drawn to large formats and socially oriented projects. I dream of bringing art into public spaces, into places where people live and everyday life takes place. I would like to create street art – not only as a decoration of the city, but as a record of the emotions, energy, and stories that people carry within themselves. I believe that a painting can be a bridge between what is individual and what is shared. At the same time, I am working on the exhibition The Conscious and the Subconscious , which is a deeply personal project for me. It is not only a presentation of paintings, but actually a documentation of my own therapeutic process – experienced together with my patients. Each therapeutic session is a journey that I take together with another person. Their experiences, emotions, breakthroughs, and crises stay with me, and art becomes a way to tell these stories in the language of colors and forms.That is why the works in this exhibition show not only what is conscious and accessible, but also what lies hidden beneath the surface – mechanisms, traumas, desires, dreams, and symbols that speak more than words. In two paintings and two times of day – in the light of day and in the darkness of night – I show the movement between what is visible and what is beneath the skin, unspoken, and yet deeply important. I am also slowly opening up to applied art – because I believe that beauty should not be locked exclusively in galleries. It can accompany us in everyday life – in the spaces we touch daily. It is not yet time to reveal details, but I sense that this will be a path that connects art with life in the most literal sense. Finally, I want to say something very simple: I invite everyone to connect who feels that together we can do something good – for ourselves, for other people, and for the world. I believe that art has the power to build bridges, and that when one person meets another with an open heart, anything most beautiful can happen.”