Caught between West Germany, where childhood unfolded, and Poland at the turn of the millennium, where youth arrived amid a fierce economic race toward the West, Patryk Hadas describes a life shaped by contrast, a sense of being a castaway between two worlds. That tension runs through the work entirely, not as abstract concept but as lived experience, most consistently through a two-decade relationship that anchors nearly every painting. Doubts, daily struggles, and shared disappointment become the primary lens, with painting itself unfolding through long, uninterrupted hours that allow full disconnection from everything else.

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How has your upbringing or cultural heritage shaped the themes and techniques you explore in your art today?

I'd say they have shaped my work from start to finish. I feel a bit like a castaway, caught between West Germany, where I spent my childhood, and Poland at the turn of the millennium, where I spent my youth. Back then, I witnessed an incredible economic boom as the country raced toward the iconic idea of the West. Experiencing these two contrasting worlds completely defined my life, and by extension, my art.

Do you think art should have a political or ideological agenda?

I strongly believe that art shouldn't be subjected to any top-down mandates. Its greatest value lies in absolute freedom—the ability to create without externally imposed frameworks or obligations. Of course, art can be politically or ideologically engaged if that's the artist's intention, but it should never be a requirement. Freedom of choice is what matters most.

Do you feel a personal connection to your subject matter is essential? How has this connection shaped your work?

I absolutely don't think it's essential. I believe in total freedom in art and oppose setting rigid criteria for evaluating it. In my own practice, however, this personal connection is exactly what has shaped my work the most. Aside from my cultural background and the clash of two worlds I mentioned earlier, my main source of inspiration is my relationship with my partner. We've been together for over two decades, and the two of us serve as the primary models in my paintings. It's our shared journey, our doubts, our daily struggles, and our disappointments that form the foundation of my work and act as the main lens through which I process my art.

Do you have any rituals or habits that help you enter a creative state of flow?

For me, the best way to enter a creative flow is simply through uninterrupted, continuous work. I don't have any specific rituals. It's that hours-long focus—sitting in front of the canvas late into the night—that allows me to completely disconnect from my surroundings and fully immerse myself in the process.

What are your long-term aspirations as an artist, both personally and professionally?

My main goal is to create more opportunities to direct and curate my own exhibitions. I want to go beyond just hanging canvases on a wall and actually design the entire space, blending my paintings with objects and photography. From my experience, this approach is incredibly inspiring. It allows me to see my own work from a fresh perspective and extract deeper meaning from it. Even though the act of painting itself is definitely the most enjoyable part of the process for me, building a fully immersive, spatial experience is my primary aspiration for the future.

If you could become one of your creations for a day, which would it be and why?

To be honest, this question feels a bit abstract to me. I deeply believe that I am my creations, and my creations are me—we are an inseparable whole. Choosing just one to become for a day would feel strange, almost unnatural, because it would mean cutting off or stripping away a part of myself.

Have you considered teaching your artistic skills to others? What excites or challenges you about that?

I've considered it a few times, but it's definitely not something I want to do. I've been taking drawing classes since I was a teenager, later studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, and did a short Erasmus exchange at UdK in Berlin. The responsibility you take on as a teacher is immense, and I frankly don't think I'm cut out for it. Looking back, I still struggle with the ideas that were drilled into my head when I was young—rules about what art is, what it should be, and how it should be made. Those cliches brought a lot of chaos into my life, and I'm still fighting them to this day. Because of that, the thought of stepping up to teach someone else—especially a whole group of people—feels like far too massive a challenge and a burden I'm simply not willing to carry right now.

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For Patryk Hadas, art resists obligation of any kind, political or otherwise, insisting instead on total freedom as its highest value. The paintings and their maker are described as inseparable, a single continuous identity rather than a series of detachable ideas. Looking ahead, the ambition moves beyond canvas alone, toward curated, immersive spaces where paintings, objects, and photography combine to reveal new meaning, a way of stepping back and seeing the work, and by extension the self, from an unfamiliar angle.