"Skins are what enclose things; the thin, external coating covering the structure. On the human body, the enclosure is a soft, flexible epidermis. In the case of buildings the material is hard, brick or block or metal. Over time, blemishes may appear on both: discolouration, rust, wrinkles, broken parts, bruises. For some reason, there seems to be a need to personalize and embellish the skin: here you will see graffiti on one and tattoos on the other.
In these two series of paintings, Robert Lewicki shows a fluency in two paint mediums. The watercoloured buildings are all local and the graffiti is all real, though sometimes found on other nearby walls. Similarly, the oils are composites: the models were sketched in life drawing sessions and were afterwards imagined into suitable room scenes. As one painting insightfully points out: "This is a Wall". Both have colour, texture, detail, character. There is beauty to be found in all the skins that surround us."
