The surrealist art of Henry Orlik has gone on public display for the first time at Museum & Art Swindon, celebrating the life and work of one of Swindon’s most enigmatic artists.
Orlik, whose family arrived in Swindon seeking sanctuary in 1948, studied at the Swindon School of Art from 1963 to 1966. He rose to prominence in the 1970s, working in a surrealist idiom and exhibiting alongside renowned figures such as René Magritte and Salvador Dalí.
After decades in relative obscurity, Orlik’s work has recently enjoyed a national revival. His new exhibition, The Lost Surrealist: Henry Orlik’s Quantum Revolution, curated in collaboration with Winsor Birch, explores the artist’s distinctive vision and extraordinary technical mastery.
A selection of paintings and works on paper from private collections showcase Orlik’s intricate mark-making and dreamlike imagery. The exhibition features major pieces including Eroded Castle (1980–84) and Fighting Skyscrapers, NYC (1982), each requiring year-long commitments with daily painting sessions lasting up to 18 hours.
Guest curator Grant Ford, from Winsor Birch, said:
“In forty years in the art world, I have never encountered anything like Henry Orlik’s work. It is so intense and skilful, and so rich in meaning. These paintings are unique and mind-bogglingly good.”
Orlik’s pioneering “quantum painting” technique involves thousands of microscopic, spiralled brushstrokes that form energetic fields. Each mark, he explained, represents qi — “a cosmic spirit that vitalises all things, giving life and growth to nature, movement to water, and energy to man.”
Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Planning, said:
“This exhibition showcases incredible work that’s never been displayed publicly before. Orlik is one of Swindon’s least-known artists, and I’m delighted that he now has a dedicated exhibition where anyone can view his work for free.”
The exhibition also unveils a new addition to the Museum & Art Swindon collection — Eggs Unattached from the Sun — acquired through the Contemporary Art Society with support from the Friends of Museum & Art Swindon.
The Lost Surrealist: Henry Orlik’s Quantum Revolution runs until 14 March 2026 at Museum & Art Swindon, located at the Civic Offices. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, and entry is free.
