01/11/2013
Our Ismena
By Jan Latus
[Originally published, in Polish, in “Nowy Dziennik” Polish Daily News, Weekend Magazine, 12.22.2012. Translated into English by the author.]
There is only one Ismena among the Poles living in New York. She is recognized by her exotic, artsy name as well as by her artistic talents.
Ismena Halkiewicz came to the United States in late 1999. Soon thereafter, she had her first individual exhibition, at Marian Zak’s Gallery in Europa Club in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She then exhibited in other Polish galleries and cultural institutions in America. However, she is not confined to them any longer.
On Monday December 17, her mural depicting the Manhattan skyline through tree branches in Central Park could not be ignored. This was not only because of its large size, 10 by 21 feet. It was featured among the works of various artists in the Waterfall Mansion, at170 East 80th Street in Manhattan. This 120-year-old building has been converted from a carriage house to a modern art gallery by Japanese architect Toshiko Mori. It impresses with its flat, white surface of the walls, expansive windows, beautiful stairs made from wood and green glass. However, most impressive of all is the breathtaking waterfall in the central lobby. The owner of the building and gallery is a Korean born woman named Kate J. Shin. She was the one who first approached Ismena to paint a mural in her gallery. “It was one of my friends who already exhibited here who recommended me to Kate”, explains Ismena. “Kate checked out my work on my website www.ismenadesign.com , called me and told me how impressed she was. She wanted to have my mural or perhaps a couple of them and to have them fast. I was able to paint one in 10 days. To choose Manhattan as a topic was her idea. Yet I had to convince her not to put on the mural New York symbols that were too obvious such as a horse carriage and a taxi cab. Anyway, it’s Kate who has the last word when it comes to artwork for her gallery, so I had to respect her wishes and go for less vivid, more pastel-like color palette than I would like. As she explained to me, this was a group exhibition, so no particular work should draw extra attention.”
Is there a possible risk that a mural on the wall of an otherwise ascetic, modern interior could steer away potential buyers? (The townhouse has been priced at $31M.) “Quite the opposite” explains Ismena. “It usually makes the property more valuable. Whenever I paint a mural, the house sells right away. Of course, I wouldn’t dare to give myself all the credit. Perhaps, I just bring luck? I let Kate know about it”.
It’s perhaps the only moment during our meeting when Ismena showed something akin to boasting. Otherwise, she is true to herself: shy, lost and introverted. Her lack of self-promotion skills, (a common trait among the Poles) was the reason of her uphill, winding ride to recognition in the American art world. Yet, she has arrived. She has had exhibitions at the Andre Zarre Gallery in Manhattan, painted about 60 murals, now adorning building interiors in Manhattan and Long Island. She has also done faux finishes, numerous portraits (realistic and stylized) and fine art. The largest murals are, surprisingly, done by Ismena alone. However for certain time, she paired with another Polish painter, Jerzy Kubina.
Halkiewicz is, most of all, a colorist. She prefers vivid, contrasting colors. Yet at the same time, her palette is “feminine” and sensuous. The eroticism seems to be an important undercurrent in her art. The Polish Americans from New York still recall (some with righteous indignation) her painting performance of nearly naked female models (she painted their bodies.) She repeated that happening twice in a bar/gallery Klimat in East Village. Perhaps Ismena is not that shy and quiet, after all.
Ordeal
Ismena is relaxed these days, even happy. This is no wonder since she happily married. She and her husband Bill have a three-year-old daughter, and they live on the Upper East Side.
It wasn’t always so easy. “At the very beginning, right after I arrived from Poland, I felt like a star among the Polish Americans," Ismena says with a trace of irony. “But it had to come to an end. Like other immigrants, I had to take some odd jobs, such as waiting tables. For a short time, I was making Christmas decorations for the American Christmas Decorations Company in the Bronx. I lived in Brooklyn, still didn’t have my U.S. residence permit, missed my hometown Krakow and felt lonely.”
It was not the only difficult moment in Ismena’s life and her noble family, whose history traces back to the 15th Century. Her grandfather was murdered by the Soviets in Katyn and her grandmother was exiled to Siberia where she dragged along her then two-year-old son (the future father of Ismena). When Ismena turned five, her mother died of cancer. Afterwards, she was raised by her grandmother. Halkiewicz’s father is still alive but is in fragile health. She visits him sometimes in Bielsko-Biala. Ismena still has many friends in Krakow and always has a good time over there. She often reminisces of her studies there at the ASP (Academy of Fine Arts). She also remembers fondly her postgraduate studies in Nuremberg, Germany (where she received a grant), her long stay in London, a private drawing school she ran in Krakow and her home in Wola Justowska.
Finally, Everything Seems OK
During her dozen or so years in America, Halkiewicz has been able to build quite an impressive professional network. Her husband tries hard to use all his contacts as well. Recently, Ismena has had to slow down a little. She was reluctant to hire a nanny, so she devoted all her time to her then newborn daughter.
We sit in the always elegant Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park. We admire, through the huge windows, the lake and behind leafless tree branches, the skyscrapers of Central Park West and South. The interior of the restaurant is decorated with garlands and wreaths. “I can’t look at them!” she laughs “I am still biased against artificial Christmas trees so I am not sure if I will have one in my house. Still, for our Christmas Eve supper, I am going to cook some traditional Polish dishes despite the fact that Billy isn’t really sold on them. He once owned a restaurant after all, so he obviously has his particular taste.” He is though attracted to Ismena and appreciates her art which is all that really matters.
