Bartłomiej Kociemba

• Nickname Arobal
• Born 1984
• Born in Szczecin
• Lives and works in Copenhagen (Denmark)
• Specializes in drawing and illustration

“The most important thing in my art is to restore beauty to the people and sense of harmony between oneself and the world. My style is not a result of calculation nor following a trend in illustration, but manifestation of my hand’s movements and what feelings accompanied me in an act of creation.”

Bartomiej Kociemba Arobal is a self-educated artist. He studied Political Sciences and Philosophy, but the most important source of his education is Buddhism and Shambali teachings. Arobal’s illustrations are created with use of crayons, pencil, paper and also paper-cuts. He attaches much meaning to details, colours, senses and emotions. The main themes of his work are people and plants. He started with simple drawings published in the form of an internet diary and then, working for the press, he developed his skills working with writers’ texts and materials delivered by the editors. Thus, from colourful portraits emerged more abstract forms depicting situations and characters. Today, Arobal’s art is characterised by the use of drawing with a wavy, refined line and a tasteful composition of forms and shapes, often with use of paper-cut technique.

He has contributed to magazines such as “Architektura”, “Bluszcz”, “Dik”, “Fagazine”, “Duży Format”, “Elle”, “Harper’s Bazaar”, “Kukbuk”, “MaleMen”, “Pani”, “Przekrój”, “Twój Styl”, “Wprost” and “Znak”. He designs music album covers, illustrates books and also provides posters for the Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw. He has been a participant at many exhibitions at home and abroad.

Bartłomiej Kociemba Gallery

More information about the artist: arobal.com