The artwork entitled “Night Reading,” created by Jacek Yerka in 2013 in Poland, is a surrealist acrylic painting on canvas that measures 65 x 73 cm. Categorized under the still life genre, this piece encapsulates Yerka’s distinctive surrealistic approach.
In “Night Reading,” a whimsical and fantastical scene unfolds, featuring an intricately constructed mountain made from stacks of books, forming an imaginative and architectural structure. At the summit of this literary mountain, a bed with a night lamp and additional playful items, including a teacup and possibly a creature, is perched against the backdrop of a star-studded night sky, which adds a dreamlike quality to the piece. The ground level reveals a tunnel-like passage, suggesting an opening that leads one further into the unexplored realms of knowledge and imagination. Books of varying sizes, colors, and orientations are meticulously arranged, indicating a sense of both chaos and order, inviting viewers to explore the endless possibilities and narratives that each book might contain. The surreal element is heightened by the juxtaposition of ordinary objects within an extraordinary context, creating a sense of wonder and curiosity in the observer. The meticulous detail and imaginative composition make “Night Reading” a compelling and thought-provoking artwork.
