I have never known the existence of the late Polish/Ukrainian naïve painter Nikifor (Epifaniusz Drowniak/Nikifor Krynicki/Nykyfor) until I saw this biographical movie of his. Interesting enough he immediately reminds me of a local Hong Kong artist whose head is totally chaotic and behaves in bizarre manner. His trademark claim is that he is Hong Kong's "Kowloon Emperor", that's Tsang Tsou-choi, the world's oldest graffiti calligraphy artist (works in Chinese characters), well, much earlier than New York's Keith Haring but the latter makes tons of $$$. (By the way, Emperor Tsang is now on the official list of "Hong Kong identity symbols to be protected". One piece of wood he painted sold for US$1,100.) I even can't help thinking about Vincent Van Gogh, David Helfgott or UK's Banksy (though no proof of his insanity, yet), artists who are either physically or mentally-challenged. The life of the said names tell us many tears-in-bitter-joy stories that true art, no matter how late, will be discovered and appreciated by the world.
What catches my attention is not the art of Nikifor, (to be frank, I have to confess that I need time to understand/digest his art) but Marian Wlosinski. How can he take that: the disillusionment of going to Krakow, the shattered future as an artist, the warning from his authority, the departure of his wife and two daughters
Why does he still insist on helping? How come his eyes see so differently from the others while no one cares about the frail old chap or his art? There is something about him that we can look into.
Just like other films depicting lives of artists, this warm and direct storytelling offers no shocking food for our sensory cells but one, at least to me, Nikifor is interpreted by an actress! Krystyna Feldman accepts this role and tested the audience's response by disguising as a beggar soliciting money at the spa! Well, she is as freaky as the role itself. Queerly coincidentally, she shares the same birth year of our Kowloon Emperor. Well, no matter how old you are, you can have your eccentric fun as much as you want to.
