Aleksander Betko

"Five Minutes Alone" Oil on panel, 56" x 41"

Artist/Thesis Statement

My work depicts shared humanity in contemporary life. We live in an extremely diverse and integrated world where we have more in common with one another than one may initially think. The people I depict are boldly make eye contact with the viewer commanding an intimacy that asks us to face one another with empathy rather than fear. They present themselves confidently in all their complexity and vulnerability wanting to be understood, wanting to be heard. The same way you want to be understood and heard. This oculus and intentionality were informed by my early childhood years as an Eastern European immigrant growing up amidst life lived out loud in New York’s storied past of the 80’s. This very colorful tapestry was indelibly burned into my consciousness as my formative years. One thing became very certain to me and that was that there were endless ways to be whoever you wanted to be. I also became enamored with the tradition of European art and attended the Art Students League. It was a devotion to drawing and representational realism coupled with the sensibilities of modern-day photographers that I employ to create works that are intended to remind us of ourselves and the world we share.